By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
WITH Baha Mar developer Sarkis Izmirlian back in the equation having submitted new proposals to open and complete the resort, Bahamians should now decide who needs a mental check, FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday.
Speaking to The Tribune, Dr Minnis repeated that he has always firmly believed that Mr Izmirlian should have been allowed to continue the project, as “no one on earth” knew it like he does.
He was asked his opinion of the harsh criticism that was last year directed at Mr Izmirlian from Prime Minister Perry Christie, who at one time said he had “grave concern for the state of Mr Izmirlian’s mind.”
Dr Minnis said: “Bahamians can make their own determination as to who needs the mental check now and I’ll leave it at that.”
He added: “Remember I had said whatever is required to open Baha Mar he should be allowed to come back and be the driver of his dream.
“And then we could do preferential financing that Bahamians could invest their monies to complete the project which means it would be classified as new money and it would be protected and it would be the first to be repaid. Bahamians would also be able to obtain equity within the project and have ownership.”
Last July, Mr Christie released a statement questioning the mental health of Mr Izmirlian. It came after the developer filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in the United States the month before.
The prime minister had previously said that rationality and cool heads were required, before going on to say that he had “grave concern for the state of Mr Izmirlian’s mind.”
He said in a statement last year: “It is particularly regrettable, that at a time when rationality and cool heads are required to deal with the current crisis at Baha Mar, the company’s leadership appears to be going to pieces under the mounting pressure.”
Mr Christie said: “As recently as yesterday (Sunday), Mr Izmirlian was calling me, completely unsolicited, to give me his private assurances and to express confidence in me but now, just one day later, he issues a public statement saying the exact opposite and in tones resonating with gross disrespect for the elected authority of this land. Indeed I am at a loss to recall any previous instance of a foreign investor who took it upon himself to publicly excoriate the government of the day in such a shrill and belligerent manner.”
Last summer, Minister of Labour Shane Gibson also hit out at Mr Izmirlian, saying the government should now begin performing “psychological evaluations” on all foreign developers seeking to do business in this country.
However, the differences between Mr Izmirlian and the prime minister appear to have improved.
On Monday night, Mr Christie said Mr Izmirlian was “deserving of every consideration” regarding his newly submitted plans to the Export Import (EXIM) Bank of China as he eyes regaining control of Baha Mar.
He further suggested that despite public frosty relations between Mr Izmirlian and the government, he was ready to move on and let bygones be bygones.
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