The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

AS he continued his silence on the controversies involving several members of his administration, Prime Minister Perry Christie singled out Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald for praise last night, commending him for his performance this term.

Speaking at a Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) rally in Central Andros last night, Mr Christie referenced certain party members present, including Mr Fitzgerald, as being a part of the Sir Lynden Pindling dream.

And in what seemed like the closest he came to referencing the controversies surrounding his government, Mr Christie also railed against “lies” and “fake news,” though he never specified what he was referring to.

“The FNM will say all sorts of bad things about us,” he said. “They will tell fake news about us, but we are protected by the shield of faith against the lies, against the fake news. We will be strong.

“There will be no room for anyone who wants to compromise, subvert or change the course of what we are doing.”

Mr Christie did not address the controversy surrounding The Tribune’s revelation that Mr Fitzgerald solicited contracts from Baha Mar developer Sarkis Izmirlian while he sat in Cabinet and later became one of the lead negotiators to remobilise the property.

Although Mr Christie told The Tribune this week that he doesn’t “run from any issue,” it remains unclear if he plans to address the controversy that has dominated headlines in the past week.

For his part, Mr Fitzgerald was one of the two Cabinet ministers who travelled to Andros with Mr Christie and attended the rally.

Declaring “Marathon on lock,” Mr Fitzgerald mentioned Baha Mar, saying he encountered a resident yesterday who is employed at the resort and who is a traditional Free National Movement supporter but will vote for the PLP out of concern for FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis’ pledge to execute a “real sale” of the resort if his party wins the election.

“We walk by faith and not by sight,” Mr Fitzgerald said. “Every day they coming after Marathon but they can’t have it.”

Last night, Mr Christie also pitched the May 10 election as a choice between “going forward” as a country with the FNM.

He spoke for more than 30 minutes during the rally that was attended by several hundred residents of the island.

Without providing specifics, he revealed that Cabinet will have a special meeting today to examine agreements that he said could provide a big boom for Grand Bahama.

“We will continue with a major plan for Andros,” he said, adding that his government will integrate the Bahamas Agricultural & Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) into the University of the Bahamas and cause “hundreds more jobs” to be created.

“There will be major developments to have,” he said.

Painting Dr Minnis as incapable of keeping his party together, he said the Killarney incumbent has “ran back to Brent Symonette.”

“I can’t image you electing a party who cannot stay together where the people of that party say all kinds of things about that leader,” Mr Christie said.