The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Seems to me the government with the pronouncements it is now making — including the latest by State Minister for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez in questioning the source of Mr Izmirlian’s $200,000 million – is acting as though its winding up petition, to be heard on July 31 by a Supreme Court justice, has already been decided in its favour. It has argued its case in the public forum, arrived at its own conclusions and is preparing to act accordingly.

Nothing like indicating to the court the kind of decision is expected of it. Already government has recommended and named three PricewaterCoopers staff to be appointed provisional liquidators on the winding up of Baha Mar under court supervision.

Remember the brouhaha when Alfred Gray was accused of straying from his executive playpen into the judicial arena? He was accused of judicial interference by the executive, which was not countenanced by the Constitution. However, although he resigned his local government portfolio, he still sits around the cabinet table as a cabinet minister.

In the Baha Mar case it appears – in my humble opinion — that government, by its pronouncements, is pushing the court into a position where government has already made the decision for it.

I think the whole position is quite disgraceful.

Now Mr Gomez is questioning the $200 million that Mr Izmirlian says he is willing to put up to see Baha Mar to completion. Mr Izmirlian told the court he had nothing a week ago, said Mr Gomez, now he is coming to the rescue with $200 million. Where did he get this money from so suddenly, Gomez wants to know. We don’t know, but we can hazard a guess.

The world is watching, and from what I hear on my network — and this from people who matter — they see what’s going on as a brazen land grab. An effort to get rid of a young man who has struggled for more than 13 years against all odds — particularly let down by government — because he is bold enough to speak his mind. Many say this is the result of having called a spade a spade and in the heat of the fray bruised the prime minister’s feelings. I can’t vouch for this, one way or the other. All I can say is this is a legacy that the PM will wish he had never dreamt of.

Who knows, many of Izmirlian’s friends, disgusted by what they see, have probably come to his rescue.

Anyway, what I am witnessing is sad for the country. But I must say I do admire the spirit of young Izmirlian who is always one step ahead of the lot of them and is keeping them all guessing.

For the sake of this country, I pray that he wins this contest.

A DISGUSTED BAHAMIAN

Nassau,

July 25, 2015.