By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunmedia.net
THE government yesterday accused former Baha Mar developer Sarkis Izmirlian of misleading the public with inaccurate, unpatriotic and unsubstantiated claims in a bid to conceal his failures and detract from current progress.
Mr Izmirlian’s company BMD Holdings issued a press release on Sunday that criticised completion efforts, accused the government of spreading misinformation about the resort’s progress, and insisted that alleged set backs evidenced the ex-developer’s proposal was superior to the government’s track.
However, in a statement yesterday, the government said Mr Izmirlian’s comments demonstrated a “persistent and unpatriotic attempt by the failed project developer to mislead Bahamians, detract from the tremendous accomplishments made by the stakeholders along with government in turning the project around, and to conceal the fact that BMD failed and then failed to recover from failure.”
Mr Izmirlian’s comments follow an announcement from Rosewood that it will not open its resort at Baha Mar until 2018, and pointed out that the Hyatt brand has not given a firm date as to when it will open at the resort. Both brands have confirmed their involvement.
The government yesterday argued that suggested delays or staggered opening dates of independent operators did not detract from construction progress, or the scheduled soft opening next month.
The statement maintained that the mega-resort’s soft opening of its casino, casino hotel, convention centre and golf course was still on track, adding that both the convention centre and golf course have been operational intermittently for specific events.
“It is simply a reflection of the commercial realities that exist,” the statement read, “due largely to the state in which the hotel was left by the former developer after filing for bankruptcy, and the need by these brands to ensure that they are in a position to meet the qualitative expectations of their clientele when they do open.”
The government and Mr Izmirlian have been locked in a bitter, public war of words over the mega-resort’s embattled track to completion since the ex-developer applied for Chapter 11 proceedings in 2015. It was a move that saw Mr Izmirlian ousted as developer and the resort placed into provisional liquidation.
The government’s statement read: “Whilst BMD continues to claim that it is ‘ready, willing and able’ to purchase the resort, the government has never seen a credible offer at all from BMD, nor any evidence of funding, and apparently neither have the receiver-managers as part of the Supreme Court supervised process for the sale of Baha Mar.”
It added: “The irresistible inference, indeed the inescapable conclusion must be that there is no such funding and therefore BMD’s motivation to continue to ventilate these issues in the press is little more than petulant annoyance in not having succeeded in delaying the project indefinitely in Chapter 11 proceedings in the US.”
The government’s statement furthered that Mr Izmirlian’s call for liquidators to pursue legal action against Baha Mar’s general contractor China Construction America (CCA), ignored the fact that - even if successful - the proceeds of any litigation would have been payable to CEXIM Bank under its security and not to Bahamian creditors.
The government underscored that: the resort’s construction is on track under the direction of Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, a world class hotel and casino operator; former Bahamian resort employees were paid severance in full; more than 90 per cent of Bahamian creditors were paid in full, with the balance received significant compensation on their claims; and the resort is engaged in recruitment for more than 1500 jobs.
“BMD had no evidence,” the government statement read, “and still today, has no evidence to suggest that Baha Mar would have opened sooner, had the Chapter 11 plan been left to continue over 1,000 miles away in Delaware, and with contested legal proceedings being pursued against CCA in England.
“The fact-free assertions of BMD and Mr Izmirlian are contradicted by their own admissions when they filed for bankruptcy. Their failure and missteps slowed the project down, but thankfully, Baha Mar is now in safe hands. The government has worked tirelessly with all of Baha Mar’s key stakeholders to ensure that it will be a success for the Bahamas and its people. The government looks forward to the opening of the resort in April.”
Comments
hallmark 7 years, 1 month ago
How they could respond to this so quickly, and still can't tell us where our VAT money gone yet. WOW!
Cobalt 7 years, 1 month ago
Bingo!!!
gangof4 7 years, 1 month ago
I "love" this part:
“persistent and unpatriotic attempt by the failed project developer to mislead Bahamians, detract from the tremendous accomplishments made by the stakeholders along with government in turning the project around, and to conceal the fact that BMD failed and then failed to recover from failure.”
Sounds like something written by Saddam Hussein's faithful minister of information/propaganda, Mohammad Said Sahhaf a.k.a. Comical Ali a.k.a. Bradley Roberts.
Cobalt 7 years, 1 month ago
Lol lol lol!
thomas 7 years, 1 month ago
Note "unpatriotic" ...he should start packing.
truetruebahamian 7 years, 1 month ago
The plp has been out of their minds for decades and the sad fact is that hopeless people who have relied upon their profit because of alliegence to a despotic control will still never show that they are WRONG WRONG Wrong just for a bottle of rum, a T-stirt and a small monetary handout. Our government does not want our Grass Roots to become more intelligent or to think for themselves. It would only hurt the government by suggesting that people think for themselves with pointed acuity and reasoned thought.
Cobalt 7 years, 1 month ago
All kinda shit coming outta Perry Christie, Bradley Roberts, and da rest a dem PLP's mout!! Jus hurry up an call election so we could vote y'all stinkin ass out!! Y'all is a colossal disgrace!!! Pure, unadulterated failure!!!
DillyTree 7 years, 1 month ago
The government has been misleading the public for nearly 5 years! Actually, they've been lying to us.
Porcupine 7 years, 1 month ago
It would be instructive to find out WHO penned the word "unpatriotic". History would show that there are few greater dangers to a populace. I cannot imagine a more dangerous person than someone who believes that patriotism is in going along with an utterly corrupt, ignorant and greedy administration. Bahamians better educate themselves as to the history of "patriotism". Soon, comments such as mine will be deemed unpatriotic, and next they will censor the papers. Paying attention to our Office of Foreign Affairs? You should be..
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 1 month ago
""Unpatriotic"? Who writes this stuff for them? During the Cuban abuse scandal they identified "traitors" among us, we had Save the Bays guilty of "subversion", "trying to overthrow the government". It's like a very scary return to pre-holocaust Germany.
observer2 7 years, 1 month ago
We as Bahamians need to be more patriotic and appreciative our new Chinese investors and appreciative the PLP that has saved Baha Mar from ruin.
Please stop criticizing the PLP.
https://www.quora.com/Why-are-the-Chi...">https://www.quora.com/Why-are-the-Chi...
愛國 is literally "love for one's country", like how children (should) love their mother. In fact, China is referred to as 祖國 (mother country, aka motherland) by Chinese all over the world. You can choose friends, but you cannot choose family. To accept one's cultural identity is to have an unconditional love for your family, especially your mother. Even if you think she is imperfect and not worthy of admiration, she is at least worthy of respect and adoration, especially in public.
ConchFretter 7 years, 1 month ago
You can choose friends, but you cannot choose family. To accept one's cultural identity is to have an unconditional love for your family, especially your mother.
If I love my country, I want the best for my country. If the matriarch of the Bahamian family is not doing her job adequately, I can change who governs the country.
This is not China. This is the Bahamas. We have a democratic society here. So, in fact, I can choose my family. I can choose the head of the Bahamian household. It is called a vote. And I can use it every 5 years if "mother" is not pulling her weight.
Porcupine 7 years, 1 month ago
I understand what you're saying, however, what is lacking is a vibrant discussion about the fate of this country. From what I can see The Bahamas is running out of time quickly. There is no time to respect the vulgar performance of those who were elected "to serve". How did they get to think they are gods? I love The Bahamas but absolutely abhor this administration and it's ignorant supporters. Am I still patriotic?
banker 7 years, 1 month ago
Absolutely.
banker 7 years, 1 month ago
A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government. -- Edward Abbey
Being a patriot doesn't mean being a cheerleader for a corrupt government. There is a difference between loving the country and looking the other way while the corrupt government rapes it. One must speak out. If you don't, you are empowering those who are bent on raping it.
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 1 month ago
I thought this was a joke, but I see they're serious (side eyes), using Chinese letters too, lol. Must be the person who wrote the article, working in the PR department. As an aside, the PLP is not our mother.
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 1 month ago
Its pretty OFFENSIVE to be told we need to be "patriotic" and show love and "ADORATION" (adoration!) for the "Motherland" (in Chinese letters no less!). You don't have to explain these terms to us, they are well known and are associated with the worst of communism, no matter how the statement tries to shrowd it with terms like "love". Clearly this person spent too much time in China and has been successfully brainwashed. The next time they visit they should ask for a tour of the political prisoners.
Honestman 7 years, 1 month ago
Make no mistake, left to its own devices, the PLP would take us down the road of Robert Mugabe and Zimbabwe.
TigerB 7 years, 1 month ago
Can anyone answer why is it that the AG is always around when something big is signing eg. Baha Mar, and the the Cruise Line contract. Isn't she suppose to be partial and not leaning towards the governent?
Hokies68 7 years, 1 month ago
The government and HR department are misleading and under serving the best interests of Bahamians. Check how many work permits have been issued for the new golf course. There should have been two issued, a GM and Director of Agronomy and both could have been limited for a number of years until a Bahamian was fully ready for these positions and yes the talent exists. Rather than two permits they have issued 5! Those are 3 positions Bahamians are not filling because they did not bother to speak with expats that have experience in the Bahamas, in the golf industry and with the best interests of Bahamians at heart!
truetruebahamian 7 years, 1 month ago
The only tremendous that the PLP government achieved was a royal screw up of a great project that was in good and capable hands and to give it away - something that they did not own to a shady bunch of red crooks.
BaronInvest 7 years, 1 month ago
This article is a good example why no one in their right mind would come to this country and invest their money.
Just imagine there would be wealthy people outside the Bahamas reading this website to get themself informed about the Bahamas.
Man screw this country, an investment in North Korea would be more secure.
SP 7 years, 1 month ago
........................ Govt: Misleading Public Over Everything Under The Sun .............................
We can begin believing something out of Christies' mouth AFTER the resurrection, and even then we'll have to ask Jesus himself if its' true!
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