PM refuses to respond to questions on Baha Mar

As of Friday, August 14, 2015

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie yesterday refused to respond to questions regarding the stalled Baha Mar mega resort amid looming concerns over the future of the $3.5bn West Bay Street development.

“I have a silence now (on) anything to do with Baha Mar,” Mr Christie said as reporters gathered to field questions on the resort’s deadlock with its general contractor and bankruptcy filing, which has dragged on now for a month and a half.

He added: “I have a ‘fella’ from a (US) university waiting on me and he’s been there for an hour, so I really feel bad about that.”

Mr Christie spoke after he wrapped up a short speech to scores of children during the closing ceremony of the Z Bandits Summer Youth camp at the E P Roberts Primary School on Wulff Road.

Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson, who has been at the centre of controversy since last week after she revealed her family’s connection to the resort, also attended the ceremony.

Last Thursday, she said her two daughters, 28 and 30, had leases to operate stores in Baha Mar. On Monday, she revealed that her husband Maxwell Gibson owns the jewellery store chain that has received those leases.

Both the Free National Movement (FNM) and the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) have criticised the nation’s leader urging him to break his silence over Baha Mar.

On Wednesday, FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said Mr Christie and the attorney general must come clean and reveal if there are any other Cabinet ministers, members of Parliament or their family members who have contracts with Baha Mar.

DNA Leader Branville McCartney has also urged Mr Christie to break his silence on the matter.

Mrs Maynard-Gibson has served as the government’s lead negotiator in the Baha Mar discussions in China as interested parties seek to come to an agreement to get the property back on track.

While she had denied assertions that her family’s business puts her in a conflict of interest and has said Mr Christie was aware of the connection, Mr McCartney argued that amid the perceived conflict of interest there has been one voice “notably absent” – Mr Christie’s.

In a statement, he suggested that the full blame for this “latest affront to our country’s parliamentary system of governance” should be laid at the feet of Mr Christie, accusing the veteran politician of being “arrogant and dismissive.”

In addition, he demanded that the prime minister “state publicly and definitively,” if any other members of his Cabinet have a similar connection to the stalled development.

According to the former Bamboo Town MP, Mr Christie’s failure to effectively manage the actions of those in his Cabinet is indicative of a wider failure to effectively govern altogether.

Baha Mar filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a US court on June 29, blaming general contractor China Construction America (CCA) Bahamas for its multiple opening delays.

The government has criticised this move and filed a winding up petition against the resort to have provisional liquidators appointed. The Supreme Court will hear that matter in August 19.

Hogfish 8 years, 8 months ago

and you think you deserve respect??!

wutless chicken shit m$%^&# f#C#%$

Emac 8 years, 8 months ago

How could he respond when Dora, seen on the picture on the right corner, has more common sense than this man. I try to avoid reading anything with him in it cause he always makes me nauseous! Just waiting on birdie to retaliate in defense of her earthly god with her usual bullshit now...

Emac 8 years, 8 months ago

Oh...can one of the stealing members of this party please use some of the people's money to donate a proper podium to Stephen Dillet school. My God, that's the least they could do with all that money they tiefin' from us! Da chillin' dem already ain getting proper education, especially in English and Math, so at least try to instill some pride in them by providing them with a proper working environment.

Sickened 8 years, 8 months ago

I'm sure that there was 'paint' in the maintenance budget. But you know, once the pay off's and kick back's are taken out the budget then there is barely enough left to cut the grass.

Bahamian_in_London 8 years, 8 months ago

Happy to comment on Sarkis' mental health, but not willing to speak on:

AG conflicts of interest
Sir Balton's secret email to the Chinese
Sakis' offer to put in $200m if CCA is fired and Bahamian contractors are used.
The Foreign Minister speaking in an official capacity threatening to deport Sakis.
The Labour minister suggesting all foreign investors will have to take psychological evaluations.

Thanks Chistie, how fortunate we are to have to as our leader. Truly a man worthy of respect.

birdiestrachan 8 years, 8 months ago

Mr: Christie is correct not to speak about Mr: Sarkis or his project, because no matter what he says will satisfy. you folks. he should speak not and allow the justice system to do its work. Now this is a field day for vision less Mr McCartney and Doctor Minnis .What would they have done differently. besides drawing Ms: Maynard';s blood. And I must say I am sorry for Mr: Sarkis , something has gone wrong with his dream, and it is not easy to watch your dream to come so close and then run into problems, I wish him well.

Bahamian_in_London 8 years, 8 months ago

It would not be an issue if he and his ministers were silent the whole time everything was going as planned as well as after bankruptcy, leaving left it as a private matter between private parties. The Government has gotten involved, prevented $70m debtor in possession being approved and filed a winding up order as an unsecured creditor. These are public matters and therefore require full explanation - and we don't even get a comment.

themessenger 8 years, 8 months ago

Birdie, your lips even closer to Christie's ass than Bodie's are to Braves if that's possible.

Wideawake 8 years, 8 months ago

Mr. Christie refuses to talk!!! That must be a first!!

TruePeople 8 years, 8 months ago

I recall PM saying that all what the rest of the PLP dem sayin is 'not the gov't position' as it did not come from his mouth. Thus only what perry says is the gov't position. THEN 1) he ain't saying nothing they don't have no position (thats useful) 2) fire the rest of them if everything they doing and saying 'is not the position of the gov't' (what the hell is it then?).

MonkeeDoo 8 years, 8 months ago

What about the Baha Mar swimming pools and waterways contract ? Did that go to Cross and Mosko Real Estate and Development Company, where Christie's son Steffan is employed. Did CCA or Baha Mar do the contracting ?. Cross and Mosko, with Steffan in the wings, must have done very nicely helping CCA with its purchase of the Hilton Hotel. Did Daddy help to guide this one through the government hoops and roundabouts that other foreign investors have to deal with. Was the Hilton deal a quid pro quo for something else. We really need a Commission of Enquiry instead of bankruptcy hearings either here or in Delaware. We need the truth about who did what to whom and when and more importantly a full expose of all of the Baha Mar contracting. This stuff will never come to light in Winder's court. This stuff is worse than Hawksbill Creek in 1984. And even the one where LOP could not recall how the money got into his account !!! Anyone think that Winder will be asking any questions about where the money went ?

Wideawake 8 years, 8 months ago

Commission of Enquiry can come later. First complete Chapter 11, second government acknowledges Chapter 11, third CCA gets fired, fourth Baha Mar gets back on track for completion using Bahamian contractors, fifth government falls apart, sixth an early General Election, seven Commission of Enquiry under our new squeaky-clean government.

TruePeople 8 years, 8 months ago

Bey that's too much numbers for this gov't. They only want one number, preferably with many digits and commas, deposited into their secure accounts.

MonkeeDoo 8 years, 8 months ago

Absent a formal commission of inquiry, I would hope that Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition can elicit some information from the Prime Minister when the House meets again in September. Like, "did your son Steffan or his employer, Cross & Mosko, benefit from any contacts awarded by Baha Mar or CCA as the Baha Mar developer " ?. To what extent did your son Steffan, or his employer, Cross and Mosko, benefit from the sale of the Hilton Hotel to CCA. Did any government benefits accrue to CCA, that would not have accrued to another purchaser ? Do you feel any conflict of interest as Prime Minister, in the Hilton Hotel Purchase by CCA, through a company that your son is employed by ?

proudloudandfnm 8 years, 8 months ago

Does this dude EVER actually work? A summer camp closing???? WTH????

proudloudandfnm 8 years, 8 months ago

The PM and AG at a summer camp closing?!?!?!? Which crony owns this summer camp?

asiseeit 8 years, 8 months ago

The P.M. and the PLP are circling the wagons. There is more to come and when it does they will play the race card as they always do. Redemption song is but a diversion and an opening salvo from a cornered, guilty, and soon exposed corrupt government. They see only one way out and that is the race card which people like Birdie will eat up with gusto. Watch and see.

Sickened 8 years, 8 months ago

Don't worry about the whites. Their boats are all fueled up and they are ready to leave their mortgages behind.

TruePeople 8 years, 8 months ago

wish dey was leaving the money behind too doe aye

asiseeit 8 years, 8 months ago

Also, reporters need to ask how the Hilton deal has been approved in such rapid haste? How could they buy the hotel, draw the plans, get all the required reports, and get all the required approvals and permits all in 6 months? Are the reports public? Will the breakwaters affect the public beaches? Will the marina obstruct the view from the public beaches? How high is the new hotel, how did they get approval for that? All in record time. Funny how that works for our new Chinese partners but not for Bahamians themselves.

Letsdoit 8 years, 8 months ago

And most important of all in the Hilton deal is the abomination of design which completely ignores the historic architecture to which this development is adjacent - How easy and pleasing to the eye would it have been to simply follow the exterior lines and design of the British Colonial Hotel (the could do what they like inside) and stitch it onto this property. I am absolutely gobsmacked by the deafening silence from the Architects of the Bahamas Association (I presume there is one?) There is no way any Bahamian architect interested in retaining our island flavour and heritage could have been involved in this abortion of a design.

Wideawake 8 years, 8 months ago

Generic architecture completely devoid of anything Bahamian.

MonkeeDoo 8 years, 8 months ago

Perhaps also, why would the Prime Minister be privy to who CCA was going to appoint to be the developer of Hilton Pointe ? He may have spoken out of turn about his friend Jimmy Mosko but Jimmy Mosko sure don't need any money, but maybe his son Steffan does. Sounds like CCA has an office next to the Prime Ministers. He knows their every move. Interesting what ?

Stapedius 8 years, 8 months ago

I don't think they'll use the race card. They'll be stupid to do so. I would hope that the people of this nation are beyond that. All the legal arguments and political rhetoric aside I would like to see our country move forward at a much more steady pace. This jagged, patchy approach to development is not working. Again there are no blameless parties here. People are so closed to their personal issues with the plp or fnm or sarkis. Who gives a shit anyway? We have rampant crime, graduating failing students and we're talking about one development. Granted, it is a huge development but we have to shift our focus as a people toward doing things for ourselves.

asiseeit 8 years, 8 months ago

They already are using the race card, why else sing "Redemption Song"? The PLP is so shallow that they pull out the race card whenever it suits them. They even bill themselves as the party of "the poor black man", which any sane person would know is hog wash. Why do you think Birdie votes PLP, read her posts and it is all there in black and white, no pun intended.

Wideawake 8 years, 8 months ago

"The people of this nation are beyond that".....O really! Which particular people are you talking about? The majority of poor and hurting people in this country are black. Successive PLP governments have always played the Race Card. They must find someone to blame for the plight of the jobless and the hopeless; they sure as hell are not going to point out their own deficiencies and take the blame themselves!!!

The Race Card is synonymous with the PLP. They use it time and time again because, guess what, it WORKS!!!

MonkeeDoo 8 years, 8 months ago

Where is Comrade Tal today ?

TruePeople 8 years, 8 months ago

Out playing race cards with PLP?

PKMShack 8 years, 8 months ago

thanks to all who voted DNA this is what you allowed to happen.

Wideawake 8 years, 8 months ago

DNA..... the facilitators of our current PLP nightmare!!

ED 8 years, 8 months ago

He refuses to respond with the sole intention of not further incriminating themselves. They are covering up illegal dealings/conflicts of interest and his government is in so deep that they are scared.
Does anyone really think Gomez was removed as lead attorney on BahaMar to prevent appearance of collusion? There is some dealing as it relates to Gomez that is rotten there too they're trying erase connections. They are all in on the deceptions one way or another.
I am sickened at the corruption, it hasn't been this bad since Pindling! Brothers and Sisters, we must not stand down and allow them to shut us down. They are as crooked as they come, let us not forget! Please let there be a commission of inquiry! If someone could please explain how we could get this done, kindly do so.

PKMShack 8 years, 8 months ago

We talk too much, wake me up when we plan the protest

Cobalt 8 years, 8 months ago

That's what I'm saying!

MonkeeDoo 8 years, 8 months ago

We should all be in Bank Lane on the 19th when the thieves and their lawyers, in the white collars, come to take the land. It is now time for the bloody Chinky's to go home. I laughed like hell, and wondered who got the Renmimbi Currency hub deal in the Bahamas. I hope it was one of the inner circle because they have just devalued the bloody currency so if anyone was holding a trading position their ass is grass. No one yelled yet but we can hope someone in the inner circle got burned. God don't like ugly !!!! Maybe someone like Franky Snake or Tony Ferguson got it. Just love it. Talk about holding the Chinese Bag !!!

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