In this morning’s Nassau Guardian in an article with the caption “No govt ploy to take over GBPA – Mitchell says PM seeking to avoid acrimony with Port”; Fred Mitchell, Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) attempted to dispel the rumors that the New Day government is trying to take control of the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) but it would seem that the statement only raised more questions than answers.

Mitchell is quoted as saying; “The Davis administration’s fight with the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) is not a part of some “ploy” by the government to take over the entity, but simply an effort to improve the lives of Grand Bahama residents, Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Fred Mitchell said”

Mitchell said investors have walked away from Grand Bahama due to the difficult red tape laid out by the GBPA, as he appealed to Bahamians across the political divide to get on board with the idea that Freeport needs to become a Bahamainized city.”

He called on right-thinking Bahamians to support the efforts of Prime Minister Philip Davis in his battle against the owners of the GBPA.”

Here the Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Fred Mitchells attempts to invoke the “us again them” mentality amongst the people and like a PLP troll asked me this morning: “Are you with the government or with the Port?”, all because I questioned the approach taken by the New Day government in recouping the moneys owed but since the clarification by the “Hon.” Fred Mitchell this morning; I must say that I have even more questions.

My first question obviously is, when Fred Mitchell says that Freeport needs to be a Bahamainized city, exactly what does he mean?  And what are they now?

Mr. Mitchell tends to suggest that if the GBPA were to come up with the money that is owed; then this period of Bahamainization would begin, so my next logical question is;

If the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) actually comes up with the money that is owed; how will that make Freeport “Bahamainized” and how would that improve the lives of Grand Bahama residents and how would that do away with the “difficult red tape laid out by the GBPA?

It is my opinion that the only way to do either of these things is if the government is planning on taking control of Freeport by taking control of the GBPA and we must remember that at one point is time the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) had “eyed [a] stake in the GB Port Authority, is this their way of finally acquiring it? But they say that this is not about that, right?

It is move like that that makes a person have trust issues in their government, because they are saying that this is not a move to acquire the Grand Bahama Port Authority, but it’s a “textbook” hostile takeover.

Then there are the billions in investments that the New day government has claimed to have lined up; if the GBPA is still in place, because they have settled their debt with the government, will these investors not “walk away”, as the chairman has claimed that others have already have?

The only way that I can see the new day government achieving what their chairman says that their goals really are is by taking control of the GBPA, but like he says, that is not what this is about …..right?

END