thebahamasweekly.com - Minnis: Need for Immediate FOIA Legislation

From:TheBahamasWeekly.com

Bahamian Politics
Minnis: Need for Immediate FOIA Legislation
By The Free National Movement
Oct 26, 2016 - 1:56:23 PM

Nassau, Bahamas - Dr. Minnis, Leader of the Free National Movement (FNM), issued the following statement on the need for immediate FOIA Legislation due to the continued lack of transparency on the secret Baha Mar deal that Prime Minister Christie made with his Chinese allies:

“The continued lack of transparency from Prime Minister Christie on the secret Baha Mar deal he struck with his Chinese allies, shows the need for immediate Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) legislation to be enacted in The Bahamas. The PLP Government has been promising to enact FOIA legislation for the past four and a half years but just like every other promise this Government has made, it was just empty rhetoric. The PLP does not want a FOIA enacted because then all the sweetheart deals they have made would be unveiled. It’s clear that the Prime Minister and the PLP have shown a complete disregard for the Bahamian people and their wishes.”

“Over the weekend the Prime Minister revealed that he had not even told his Cabinet the details of the recent sale of Baha Mar to Perfect Luck Holdings Ltd. On Tuesday, the Cabinet held their weekly meeting and so it must be asked, did the Prime Minister share the details of his secret sale to his Cabinet on Tuesday or is he still withholding the information from them too? Is he afraid of an embarrassing leak from his PLP leadership like the debacle he encountered with his Hurricane Tax proposal?”

“The Free National Movement stands for accountability and transparency, we stand on the side of the people who remain concerned and troubled by the lack of transparency and details of the PLP’s secret dealings with the Chinese. Deals shrouded in secrecy and then sealed by the courts on behalf of this Government. The people continue to demand that FOIA be enacted immediately. The FNM passed FOIA legislation five years ago but the PLP refused to enact it. Transparency and true accountability with a strong FOIA program would move the country towards this goal and we will fight every day to have it in place for the Bahamian people.”