PLEASED at the Prime Minister’s admission of difficulties in his government’s BTC takeover bid, the opposition reminded him of their prediction it would go nowhere.
In a statement issued yesterday, the FNM branded the attempt to regain a controlling interest in the telecoms company “Prime Minister Christie’s fool’s errand” and said they are not surprised it didn’t work.
“We are not surprised that the Prime Minister has come to the sad conclusion that his team of negotiators will have to throw in the towel,” said the party in a statement.
“This conclusion is better late than never. He should have been at this position a long time ago, but we appreciate that the Prime Minister does not like to take advice from Bahamians.
“We are at least gratified that this piece of education has not had to come with a hefty price tag to the Bahamian people.”
The FNM said that to date, Mr Christie’s approach to handling BTC has been all wrong.
“Perhaps he will listen to good advice from the FNM this time: the FNM would like to suggest to him that his ‘cry baby, woe is me’ approach has been something of an embarrassment.
“When he stands on the steps of the seat of governmental power in the country and whines about the poor service he is getting from BTC, as if he is a ‘Joe blow’ member of the public, he is diminishing his office and making all of us look feckless and silly.
“Furthermore he is behaving as if he is suffering from amnesia. We remind the Prime Minister that he is not powerless. We remind him that as head of the government, he controls 49 per cent of the shares in BTC. That gives him a lot of clout.”
“Those shares give him seats on the board and the ability to knock heads and kick butts until he gets some satisfaction about how and when services in BTC will improve. Enough of the cry baby stuff. Use your authority PM and demand some accountability,” the party said.
The FNM went on to express concern that both the Prime Minister and the telecoms regulator, URCA, may have dropped the ball on BTC.
“URCA appears to have spent more time finding a way to give one regulated entity a rate increase than it has in seeking to ensure that average BTC customers – including our sobbing Prime Minister – get value for their precious dollars. Both the Prime Minister and URCA need to step up,” the opposition party said.
Comments
242 11 years, 4 months ago
Now ask him why did he cancel the plan to offer shares in the company to Bahamians? And why a 49% owner of BTC downing BTC and promoting Digicel who would have to start from scratch and have the same if not more problems getting their network going. and lol @ the crybaby part.
John 11 years, 4 months ago
Bahamians havent had consistent telephone service since Cable and Wireless took over BTC but yet the company is busy digging a deeper monopoly in this country. C&W now have ads telling its consumers that they cannot guarantee their cell phones will work if they did not purchase them from BTC. This is only a scare tatcic to stop consumers from purchising cell phones from local dealers. False statements to gain marketing advantage. What does BTC tell the 5 million tourists who come to the Bahamas each year? that because they did not purchase their instruments from BTC they cannot access cell services in the Bahamas? hog wash. What about the 3000 plus Chinese working at Bah Mar? did they all purchase their cell phones from BTC, or did the Canadians working at the airport? Or the Argentineans doing the roadworks? Bubba (btc's spokesman) neds to grow a backbone and stop selling the Bahamian people short!
clarken 11 years, 4 months ago
This is a question of sovereignty. The Bahamaian people rejected this sale before it occurred. Asa result of them being ignorted they showed their disagreement br emphatically rejecting the government which did the sale. This was stated very plainly in a widely participated plebiscite during which the wining party was clear about their commitment to reverse the sale. CWC thumbed their noses aat the Bahmian people by going ahad with the sale. They are now spanking their ass at the Bahamian people by refusing to negotiate. This is a direct affront to the Bahamian people and our sovereignty. The Prime Minister is the chief protector of our sovereignty and safety. He has no choice but to defend this challenge or resign.
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