“Davis responds to Hubert Minnis on Baha Mar” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Amid growing concerns over the future of Baha Mar, its completion and its opening day, Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis, yesterday defended the stalled resort and hit out at Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis for recent comments made regarding the Christie administration’s involvement in the Cable Beach property.

‘Every day seems to bring another set of misguided statements about Baha Mar,’ Davis said.

‘Its political season and Bahamians have learned to discount the negative voices as having their own self-interested agenda.’

‘The problem for all critics is that reality has a way of catching up.’

‘Even in this era of fake news, reality matters’

‘What is real is that 650 Bahamians have already been hired by Baha Mar.”

‘What is real is that Baha Mar is opening in April.’

‘What is real is that the CTFE has increased its commitment on preopening expenses from $200 million to $250 million of which $65 million has already been spent.’

‘What is real is that Baha Mar is finally is safe hand, with a world-class operator that has succeeded with high-end properties in the Caribbean and across the globe.’

Baha Mar file for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware in June 2015.

The bankruptcy claims have since been dismissed.

In December, Prime Minister Perry Christie announced that Baha Mar was being sold to CTF BM Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE) Limited.

But details surrounding the sale remains sealed in the Supreme Court at, Chrisite claimed. The behest of the China Export-Import bank, which held the note on the mortgage.

It remains unclear if the deal has been completed.

Baha Mar is set for a phased opening in April.”

I would like to educate Deputy Prime Minister Davis to the fact that most people now have a ‘healthy’ skepticism of this present government especially as it relates to the Baha Mar project and how they handled it, because each day brought a new excuse/reason as to why the opening date of the resort was being delayed, but the real issue that I have at the present time is what promoted this response from the Deputy Prime Minister?

Exactly what was responsible for his ‘what is real’ diatribe?

“During the FNM’s ratification on Tuesday night, Minnis charged than, ‘Chrisite and the PLP (Progressive Liberal Party) nearly destroyed Baha mar, which costs the country hundreds of millions and thousands of jobs’.

‘Every time the PLP touched the Baha Mar project, they created even more of a disaster.’ Minnis said”

I would like now to ask Deputy Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis; since we are speaking to being real and all; wasn’t the conflict really between the Developer; Izmirlian and his Chinese partners?

Wasn’t this an on-going issue before the Progressive Liberal Party decided to get involved and when they did get involved, didn’t they seem to side with the Developers partners instead of attempting to remain neutral and working on an amicable solution, which would have benefitted all parties concerned, along with the entire country?

When the Developer decided to file for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware, as his partners were registered in the United States of America, exactly what prompted the Christie administration to then force the development into receivership, causing over a year in delays and job losses, other than the unfounded speculation that the developer was attempting not to pay his Bahamian unsecured creditors, something that the government has yet to prove. 

What is real to a lot of people is that the government forced the project into receivership and caused 1,500 to be laid off, as the project was closed down. 

What is real to a lot of people is the fact that the government caused the project to sit idle for over a year incurring expenses to be paid for by the average tax payer, like you and myself.

What is real is that, as the government attempts to lift up the re-opening of the Baha Mar site as a great victory, [the government] fails to admit to the fact that it was due to their incompetence that the project sat idle for years.

This is what is a reality for the average Bahamian citizen, not to speak to the tourist that had already booked rooms for when the hotel was first supposed to open at the end of 2014, but yet this government does not seem to be able to speak to their gross mishandling of this project on their behalf that has made so many people lose so much money and time in more ways than one.

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END

Sometimes all you can are able to do is sit back and listen to some of the nonsense that a person would approach you with, that they believe is logical and think to yourself what planet is this person from?

“Minnis: DNA wanted 16 seats – FNM leader makes revelation as party ratifies final five” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis revealed last night that Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Branville McCartney made a number of ‘extreme’ and unreasonable’ requests when the opposition parties met to a possible union to strengthen their chances of removing the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) from government.

Minnis was addressing the crowd at the FNM headquarters on Mackey Street after he was ratified for Killarney.

The party also ratified four other candidates; Former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette for St. Anne’s; Pakesia Parker for West End and Bimini; Shanendon Cartwright for St. Barnabas and Vaughn Miller for Golden Isles.

Minnis told supporters, ‘Bran wanted 16 seats.’

‘The seats he wanted were as follows: He wanted Bamboo Town; he wanted Seabreeze; he wanted Garden Hills; he wanted Southern Shores; he wanted Marathon; he wanted Elizabeth; He wanted Pinewood; he wanted Fox Hill; he wanted Golden Gates; he wanted North and South Abaco; he wanted Marco City; he wanted Yamacraw and if there was a St. Thomas Moore, he wanted that too.’

“….You see, besides taking the best from the FNM, he wanted an agreement that if the DNA got the most seats then the DNA would decide who is prime minister and the deputy prime minister.”

Okay Mr. McCartney; would you care to have a kidney or lung with that?  I secretly believe that The Leader of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) has lost his mind, but then that it another story for another day but today’s question is why would he approach the Free National Movement (FNM) with just a request and think that is would be seriously considered?

Since the revelation, Mr. McCartney and others from his party have come out in defense of the Leader of the DNA saying that Mr. McCartney never made such a request and that Dr. Minnis is lying but then we still have his odd relationship with Loretta Butler-Turner to show us that maybe  Mr. McCartney cannot be trusted, indeed the man is beginning to show his true colors.

There are very few people, probably only Democratic National Alliance supporters that actually believe him [Branville McCartney] when he says that he and Ms. Butler-Turner had no sort of arrangement of any sort in terms of a coalition of sorts when she made him leader of opposition business in the Senate, no matter how unstable you may think that she is but yet he would like for us to believe this and now he comes back after being exposed in this latest escapade to say that the Leader of the Free National Movement is a lair.

Far be it from me to call anyone a lair…but……..

END

While the country seems to be burn, the Prime Minister stands idly with his hands in his pockets, as he has done for the past four and half plus years dumbfounded as to what to do, in the main time there is storm brewing internationally.

“Govt. efforts to intimidate activists slammed in report” – The Tribune

Excerpt from this article; “The United States has highlighted the Bahamas’ government ‘intimidation of non-governmental organizations’ and efforts by the government and authorities to inhibit ‘free speech through criminal libel laws’ as problems in its latest human rights report.

The report also referenced alleged cases of immigration officials soliciting bribes from migrants and alleged beatings of migrants and prisoners in custody.

Yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said the report has ‘inaccurate’ and in some cases ‘incomplete’ information.

Referring to an incident in which Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald discussed the emails and financial information of Save the Bays in Parliament last year, the report said: “Cabinet members sought to intimidate a local environmental group by reading its hacked e-mails and financial information from the floor of Parliament, accusing the group of attempting to overthrow the ruling political party.”

I often sit in amazement at the manner in which the Prime Minister and Leader of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), the Hon. Perry Christie would just sit back and allow just atrocities to happen under his watch and now I understand; he just seems powerless to stop any of it from happening in the first place, this is indeed a sad state of affairs.

The international report goes on to cover a few other issue which should have been addressed immediately by this government; some of which have been ‘under investigation’ for years now with no resolution.  Many of these topics have been subject to questioning from the public that requested a degree of accountability and action from this government, but have only seen them stand by helplessly watching it all happens with their hands in their pockets…defeated.

The report addresses the suppression of free speech, juveniles being charged as adults and treated as such, bribery and the beating  of migrants; with the Prime Minister still standing and watching helplessly with his hands in his pockets…..defeated.

Then the Minister of Foreign Affairs decides to speak to the issue; “On Sunday night the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration released a statement which said representatives of the government spoke with representatives of the United States prior to the report.’

During the conversation, it was made clear to the US that the proposed report contained significant inaccurate information with no basis in fact and in some cases incomplete information’, the minister said.”

“…..significant inaccurate information with no basis in fact and in some cases incomplete information”, sounds like a lot of information disseminated to the public by this government when they are trying to ‘explain’ something to the people or trying to deflect away from some wrong doing.

Well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration prepares an official response from the Bahamas government, I just advise that he makes us look good because what is in this international report is exactly that “international’ now and for the most part sadly a lot of it is old new; issues that this present administration hoped would have gone away.  Now they stand looking hopelessly with their hands in their pockets – defeated

 The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END

“Because his avarice and his betrayal of the emperor’s trust, Pier della Vigna was disgrace, blinded, and imprisoned.

Dante’s pilgrim finds Pier della Vigna on the seventh level of the inferno.  Like Judas he died by hanging” – “Let My Home be my Gallows”

This past week saw the repercussions of a mentally embattled and fatigued prime minister ‘flashing the bird’ at persons whom he claims were attacking his family but really were only asking question of him and requesting his accountability to the Bahamian people.

The issue, really a non-issue, could have been easily dismissed and should have been give the heavy scrutiny that the prime minister has been under for the past four plus years, this was nothing but it seemed to have rattled him to the core, having two of his parliamentary colleagues weigh in to defend the prime minister.  The funny thing is that, both have no moral authority to even to attempt to justify the prime minister’s unwarranted outburst; as both of these persons sense of morality are as untouched as the turning signal in the average Bahamians car.

One in particular, I would consider to be a ‘political Judas’; as his kiss of reassurance’ is a deadly one, as he has proven that he has shown that he is fully prepared to sell you out for his job, as Judas did Christ for 30 pieces of silver.

“Minister defends PM: Attacks on family promoted middle finger incident, colleagues said” – The Nassau Guardian 1^st March 2017

Excerpt from this article; “Asserting that Christie has to speak for himself on the matter, Fitzgerald said the incident prompts a broader issue when it comes to people aiming at families when criticizing politicians.

The education minister insisted that although politicians sign up for public life, this does not give person ‘carte blanche to attack our family members really for no good reason’, and ‘at some point we are going to really have to a discussion in this country about how far we really go when it comes to persons who are in public life.

‘When we start attacking and making fun, singing songs, telling lies on social media about our family members, that’s really to me where the line should be drawn,” Fitzgerald said.”

I fervently agree with the minister, a person personal life should remain personal and private unless it affects his/her elected duties but as far as I am aware that the person that the prime minister was responding to never attacked any of his family members so what really brought about this reaction?  Some may say that I am splitting hairs at this point but then Minister Fitzgerald is being disingenuous and intentionally misleading.

Maybe someone from the Marathon constituency needs to ‘flip the bird, at this ‘political Judas’ the next time he knocks on their door asking for their vote.

After all he did sell them out for the sake of his job all because of his avarice.

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END

 

“PM: FNM an incredibly unreliable choice” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “At his first political meeting since his offensive finger gesture landed him in hot water, Prime Minister Perry Christie got back on his campaign message last night turning his guns at the Free National Movement (FNM) over the current division in the party, calling it ‘incredibly unreliable’ as a choice for government..

‘We are not like those others.’ Said Christie while speaking to supporters at a branch meeting for the Carmichael, Southern Shores and Golden Isles constituencies at Gavin Tynes Primary School.

One night [they are] dancing together, the next night they [are] calling one or the other corrupt or saying that they could never in their lifetime work with them together.

The point is, you have all the evidence you need to know that they are incredibly unreliable, and you cannot make the mistake of relying on them to be able to  form a government.’

Christie added, ‘If they was the government of The Bahamas today, who would have been running the country? Which one?”

Well Prime Minister Christie; many wonder as to who is running the country today with such a ‘cohesive group’?

As a ‘cohesive group’, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government has proven to be just as unreliable and unstable, or even more so, than they would like to make the public believe that the Free National Movement (FNM) party is.  It is fact that since it last national convention the FNM party has indeed been coming together despite the noise being made by the infamous ‘Rebel Seven”, who now wanders the political wilderness.

The Prime Minister and his Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) organization has now attempted to create a tentative link between the resignation of Branville McCartney, Leader of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA), as leader of opposition business in the Senate to the Opposition, saying this shows divided opposition which is still embroiled with infighting; this connection cannot be made, in the real world as it makes no sense and can only be made in the mind of the Prime Minister; probably coming from the very same ‘voice’ that prompted him to ‘flip the bird’ at his criticizers the other night.  I guess he still has to make an argument for the statement of a vote for the Free National Movement is a vote to move the country backward and the question is; are we not already in rapid decline and free fall? This makes one wonder exactly just how [has] the Progressive Liberal Party advanced the country over the last four and a half?

It is the present Progressive Liberal Party government that has proven itself, time and time again in the past four and half plus years to be “incredibly unreliable”, as they have failed the people of the Bahamas at each and even initiative that that have tried to implement; one can only sit in amazement that a government that is so inept, incompetent and lazy would then beg for another five years to continue the downfall that they now have the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in; dust of their ‘golden nuggets’ and claim to be the better choice, when the past four and half plus years has proven that they are just not, because as of to date they have yet to show one ONE way in which they have empowered the people of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas or even marginally made their lives any better.

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END

 “PM flips the bird” – The Nassau Guardian (February 28 2017)

Excerpt from this article; “Hundreds of Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) supporters; including children and senior citizens gasped in amazement last night as Prime Minister Perry Christie flipped the bird while explaining his response to what he called a ‘distorted’ claim.

Through he gave few details on exactly what he was referring to, a seemingly upset Christie showed the energetic crowd a quick flash of his middle finger as he explained his response to an allegation he had heard early yesterday.

‘We are now entering the period in our national life when all sorts of things will be said’, said Christie while speaking at a branch meeting for the Marathon, Fox Hill and St. Anne’s constituencies in Fox Hill.

‘When I was getting up this morning, they showed me an account of a lunatic who was saying I should deny I own this condominium.

‘This is what I [told] him…..’

Christie then lifted his middle finger.”

At what I see as a critical time in the campaign season for the Progressive Liberal Party, as the party begins to show some of its weaknesses which everyone knew existed; with the government losing traction and the support of the electorate that brought them to victory in 2012, with the present battle over the Free Town constituency , the dismal performance  of the economy under this administration being brought to light , the failings of the Ministry of National Security to date and the ill-advised introduction of the controversial ‘Spy Bill” and a myriad f other failures that the Prime Minister and his government have been rightfully criticized for; the Prime Minister all of a sudden loses his ‘cool’ over a matter of little or no consequence, this makes no sense but then we are discussing the Progressive Liberal Party, so yes there is that. But now there is the cry from his supporters of ‘tell dem bout dey sef’ – in what has been described by agriculture minister, V Alfred Grey as a ‘strong’ move.

A ‘strong’ move; right in the nick of time to suggest to the persons that had began to see through the façade and take note of the numerous faults of this Prime Minister and his government, causing them to began to lose faith; ‘I have had enough and it is time for me to take of the gloves and fight back’, a decisive move by my observation.

It is odd that “Cool PC” would lose his cool and stoop to this level over what some ‘lunatic’ has said about him shortly after he had threatened to tell the world what he was told about Dr. Hubert Minnis; it is curious and laughable.

Indeed, the situation seems to coincidental to be a coincidence, in my opinion and it is indeed sad that the leader of the Progressive Liberal Party would seemingly find it fitting to make such an obscene gesture in the public’s eye, to rally his troops and shift the momentum in his favor.

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END