The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The continued secrecy surrounding the Baha Mar deal is “in direct conflict” with demands for more open and accountable governance, a leading reform campaigner said yesterday.

Robert Myers, a principal with the Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG), told Tribune Business that agreements involving the Bahamian people’s tax monies and land (Crown and Treasury) “absolutely” should be disclosed publicly.

He was speaking after both the Government and Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE) confirmed the latter had signed an agreement to purchase Baha Mar’s resort assets from the China Export-Import Bank’s special purpose vehicle (SPV), Perfect Luck Assets.

While Prime Minister Perry Christie promised that the Heads of Agreement between CTFE and the Government would eventually be tabled in the House of Assembly at an unspecified date, no mention was made of the other deals key to Baha Mar’s completion and opening.

This, in particular, includes the Government’s agreement with the China Export-Import Bank for Baha Mar’s construction completion, plus the bank’s agreement with CTFE. Both remain sealed by Order of the Supreme Court.

However, the rationale for ‘sealing’ the documents, which Justice Ian Winder said was “to preserve the integrity” of Baha Mar’s sales process, appears to have disappeared given that this has been completed with CTFE’s deal.

As a result, some are querying the need to maintain the secrecy, and/or whether the Prime Minister’s and CTFE’s announcements yesterday were “premature” given that the Heads of Agreement has yet to be completed.

Mr Myers said the situation “absolutely fits within the mandate of ORG”, telling Tribune Business: “It’s at the pinnacle of what ORG stands for; open and accountable governance. This is another deal that’s in direct conflict with that culture.

“Where it concerns either the sale or provision of the people’s land and use of the people’s taxes, these agreements absolutely should be public.”

Referring specifically to Baha Mar, he added: “This isn’t a matter of national security. Whose money is it that the Government used to deal with these legal cases and battles? It’s the Treasury’s money. Somebody there was getting paid by us, the people.

“That’s got to be millions of dollars. If they’re spending our money writing that deal, we should be able to vet that deal and they should be accountable to the public for the land and concessions of that deal.

“It’s our land, our taxes, our income that they’re giving away. We should be party to that and be able to see that. We should be privy to see what they’ve given away that will help us.”

Mr Myers said it was vital that the Government, both present and future administrations, “account for what they did”, describing this as the hallmark of the transparent governance culture that the Bahamas “must strive to attain”.

The Government’s political opponents were echoing similar sentiments yesterday, with the FNM’s deputy leader saying that the only persons still “left in the dark” on Baha Mar were those who should benefit most from its resolution - the Bahamian people.

Accusing the Government of being “incredibly arrogant” in its attitude towards the public over its Baha Mar dealings, K P Turnquest told Tribune Business: “The deal has been done, and there appears to be some kind of formal or informal agreement that the Government is willing to sign off on.

“The only people in the dark are the Bahamian people, the ones who should, at the end of the day, benefit from any deal done.

“It is incredibly arrogant of this government to believe they are the only ones wanting this deal, and being professional about the considerations pertaining to it, and the sensitivities of the deal,” Mr Turnquest added.

“The question is: Who are we building this country for? What has been agreed for the Bahamian people in terms of jobs and opportunities? How will this deal benefit the Bahamian people, and at what price?

“If this is a temporary deal already agreed, and in the works, what’s the hold up? What are you hiding from the Bahamian people now?”

Mr Turnquest echoed the calls of other politicians and private sector executives for the Government to disclose the value, and type, of the investment incentives that have been granted - both to CTFE on the purchase, and to the China Export-Import Bank and China Construction America (CCA) for Baha Mar’s physical completion.

Having witnessed a “plane load” of Chinese workers arrive at the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) yesterday, the FNM deputy leader called for the Government to disclose how many would be working on Baha Mar’s completion, and the ratio to Bahamian workers - especially given this country’s ongoing unemployment problem.

“The proof is in the pudding,” Mr Turnquest told Tribune Business. “We wait to see if a deal has been done, if it’s going to be more talk, what’s involved in the transaction, and what benefits there are for the Bahamian people in terms of long-term jobs and opportunities.”