thebahamasweekly.com - Collie: Prime Minister’s secret deal on Baha Mar

From:TheBahamasWeekly.com

Bahamian Politics
Collie: Prime Minister’s secret deal on Baha Mar
By The Free National Movement
Mar 14, 2017 - 2:47:36 PM

Nassau, Bahamas - Sidney Collie, Chairman of the Free National Movement (FNM), issued the following statement:

“Today, the Free National Movement is again joining with the Bahamian people in calling for the full release of the embattled Prime Minister’s secret deal on Baha Mar with his Chinese allies. The people have been promised the details of this deal for months now and their patience has grown thin. If the deal is as good as the PLP Government says it is, then why keep it secret – hidden away from the public? Their actions raise the question if there truly is even a deal in place?

“The president of Baha Mar says that no deal has been made with a new buyer. Is this just another example of career politicians using smoke and mirrors to deceive the Bahamian people in their desperate attempt to hold on to power?

“The people deserve clarity, and that starts with simply knowing who these new owners are. Are these ‘new owners’ going to respect The Bahamas national sovereignty? Besides waiving the onerous PLP VAT tax for some of their vendors what other enticements did they receive as part of this secret deal? And if this deal was to be so good for the people of The Bahamas, why does the work to complete the project go to foreign workers? Does the embattled Prime Minister think Bahamian workers are not good enough?

“Under a FNM government, we would make sure that every detail of a plan like this is open and transparent. We would ensure that any potential investor has the interest of the Bahamian people at hand and prioritizes Bahamian workers – who are here and ready to work – over foreign workers. Without transparency there is no accountability – the PLP must unseal their secret deal.”