By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Perry Christie is expected to make a major announcement on the government’s renewed approach to addressing the stagnant economy of Grand Bahama this morning in the House of Assembly.
Claiming that the revelations could lead to significant investments on the island of Grand Bahama, Mr Christie told The Tribune on Saturday his administration was prepared to address a number of key factors related to the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA).
“It is going to be a defining moment, particularly in the life of Grand Bahama, one where we have taken a comprehensive examination of all the affairs of the Port Authority and all its subsidiary companies and we are going to report it,” he said.
The Tribune understands that his speech will focus on a potential deal between the GBPA owners, Hutchison Whampoa, Mediterranean Shipping Company and the government on the way forward for the island.
On Friday, Tribune Business reported Justice Indra Charles’ ruling in favour of the judicial review action brought by two Callenders & Co attorneys, which suggested that the stakeholder consultation over proposed reforms to the Hawksbill Creek Agreement was “procedurally unfair” as crucial information was withheld from the public.
Justice Charles, in her written ruling, concluded that without the benefit of the McKinsey Report, the consultation process was fundamentally flawed.
On Saturday, Mr Christie said that he has met with “several parties on several matters”, adding that his administration was closer than ever to “locking down” a workable, non-partisan scheme to move Grand Bahama forward.
Yesterday, the GBPA released a statement on Justice Charles’ ruling, saying the judgment was a “fair one.”
The GBPA added: “The judgment does not have a derailing effect on the progressive dialogue and negotiations which ensued between the Bahamas government, the Port Authority and the relevant stakeholders of Freeport after the completion of the hearing before the Supreme Court.”
“Notwithstanding our differences concerning the consultation process, in the full spirit of cooperation, the Bahamas government and the Port Authority and major licensees continued fruitful discussions for the implementation of arrangements to bring significant growth and job creation to the economy of Freeport.”
The statement added that, prior to the delivery of Justice Charles’ judgment, the government and stakeholders “successfully concluded an agreement on the way forward.”
Comments
TheMadHatter 7 years, 11 months ago
The only way forward is to sell it to MSC asap - people toting water to flush their toilets in Freeport.
TheMadHatter
sheeprunner12 7 years, 11 months ago
This is not a "major announcement" ............ this PLP status quo with on-going benefits ......... If the PLP cannot force out the Hayward & St. Georges oligarchy, then there is no substantive change to the GBPA baseline ............... The GBPA/Freeport-as-is is a losing proposition to the local Bahamian inhabitants
Economist 7 years, 11 months ago
You are absolutely correct.
thephoenix562 7 years, 11 months ago
They putting another medical school in Freeport.Big deal.Little Dominica has three.And what hospital are we talking about.The government told us they were building a state of the art clinic.So thats your major announcement
birdiestrachan 7 years, 11 months ago
There is no surprise that GBPA says Judge Charles ruling is a fair one. She did rule in their and the outspoken QC favour.
TalRussell 7 years, 11 months ago
Comrades two years after being released from prison for mail fraud, Wallace Groves was sold by his governing friends the all white Bay Street Boys, 150,000 acres for $2.80 an acre. The whole of Freeport was to soon to transfer for the "cheap" to the exclusive ownership, use and control of foreigners.
It was a bad deal for taxpayers back then, and so is it a 'give-away deal' in 2016.
Seems that is doesn't matter none if the whites, or blacks, does the governing?
By my calculations at today's prices, the $2.80 an acre is going cost today's taxpayers Three Million Dollars an acre.
Wideawake 7 years, 11 months ago
When Hayward bought Groves out in the middle 70's that was the perfect, and sadly lost, opportunity to Bahamianise the G.B.P.A and DevCo. These shares should have been offered to Port Licence holders and Bahamian citizens. Had this happened, Freeport, by now, would have fulfilled its promise and would truly be "The Magic City", as most of its profits generated over the past forty years would have stayed in The Bahamas!!
Instead Freeport is regarded by the second generation Hayward/St.George clan as "an ATM dressed up as Santa Claus", and most of Freeport's "gravy" has flowed out of the country!!
TalRussell 7 years, 11 months ago
Comrades the evidence is there of past performances which makes it's highly unlikely that under the Hawksbill Agreement that Freeport can ever reach its potential growth. Never has since the 1950's and it ain't going happen in 2016, nor come 2036.
Minister Freddy needs send these foreigners back home on the next flights out Freeport and place them on Bahamaland's "Stop List.
Do not even allow them return as tourists.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 11 months ago
Re-post: The money trail needs to be followed when it comes to the bank accounts and clients' accounts at law firms that are ultimately beneficially owned by certain politicians and government officials and their consultants and advisors. The corrupt political elite and their equally corrupt business cronies in the private sector have accumulated great wealth from massive fraud perpetuated against the interests of the Bahamian people. We are daily being robbed by these scoundrels whose sole interest is to maintain their ability to continue stealing the wealth of our country for themselves, leaving the rest of us barely able to make ends meet. We have far too many in government today who are mega-millionaires, and they did not become so on their government salary. The Chinese down the road may actually be of great help to us in uncovering a lot of this massive fraud and bringing those responsible to justice.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 11 months ago
The Bahamian government has just sealed the fate of Grand Bahama for the next 20 years ...... with no fundamental shift in how business was done in the past 60 years ....... the benefits of this relationship continue to be heavily in favour of the GBPA principals with the government settling for any spin-off crumbs to its citizens and coffers ....... it is a losing proposition to the country in general, while benefiting selective special interests.
How can we continue to exist with this "country within a country" conundrum??????
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID