The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

I SEE the Prime Minister has suggested that Dr Minnis approach the Chinese contractor and say “Well done”. What he should say is “About bl*y time”.

Although the PLP through photo ops and appearances are seemingly treating this as a marvellous step on their part, nothing could be further from the truth.

One man’s vision plus his millions of dollars caused Baha Mar to even come into existence, employing thousands of Bahamians in the process and improving what was becoming a Cable Beach wasteland with tacky hotels. And what was his reward for this? The threat of deportation.

To my mind, it would seem that because the Chinese contractor and the Chinese participants, both organisations ultimately owned and controlled by the Chinese Government, there might well seem that there was possible collusion between the two to squeeze out the original developer and take over ownership. Whether the Government was a mere pawn in such a chess game or whether it was an active participant is open to question. It takes no credit either way. In any other country all this would be the subject of a public independent investigation.

Don’t forget that at one time, on the strength of a broken promise by the contractor of a completion date, rooms were sold and guests appeared, to the complete embarrassment of not only the investor but the Government as a whole.

Give credit where credit is due, Mr PM, and don’t try to hoodwink everyone that the present Government has done such a marvellous job. If it had been left to the actual contractual parties, i.e the Chinese and the investor, the resort would have been opened years ago.

Whatever the Chinese may say you should insist that a statue of Sarkis Izmirlian for his foresight and vision should be placed in the main lobby, or at the very least a plaque signifying the fact that Baha Mar was his idea and undertaking.

Somehow I doubt whether he will even be invited to the opening.

INTERESTED

SPECTATOR

Nassau,

March 29, 2017