Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts yesterday in a statement suggested that Free National Movement Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis “has sold out the FNM lock, stock and barrel”.
This notion came as Mr. Roberts asserted that Dr. Minnis has “unwittingly and willingly” tied himself and his party to Baha Mar Developer Sarkis Izmirlian.
According to Mr. Roberts Dr. Minnis has done this by using “Izmirlian’s men” to form the leadership of his party.
These men include former Baha Mar Director Dionisio D’Aguilar, former Assistant Commissioner of Police Marvin Dames and Jeffrey Lloyd.
“It is an established fact that Dionisio D’Aguilar is the mouthpiece of Sarkis Izmirlian and has been for more than one year. He sat on Baha Mar’s board and was a part of the conspiracy to deceive the government and people of The Bahamas on the true fiscal health of Baha Mar while the government sought to assist the developer in completing the project,” SAID Mr. Roberts.
Mr. Roberts charged that Dr. Minnis is naïve when it comes to Mr. Izmirlian’s behaviour in relation to Baha Mar.
“Minnis is naïve and sadly mistaken to conclude that the developer’s unseemly behaviour was a function of personality. Also, the last time Dr. Minnis tried to save his political soul, he ended up with a LOI scandal on his hand that he seeks to sweep under the proverbial carpet daily,” Mr. Roberts said.
The PLP chairman added that the FNM’s reaction to the Baha Mar debacle would have been different under a Hubert Ingraham administration.
“The FNM, who are not known for their intellectual honesty, must be honest with themselves on the following score: I submit that had Sarkis Izmirlian deceived the government of former Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham and dishonoured the Office of Prime Minister surrounding Baha Mar’s bankruptcy, the FNM would have cried foul, double foul and technical foul and branded Sarkis persona non grata in this country for his unseemly attempt to “play,” deceive and disrespect an entire nation because he was investing a few dollars and creating a few jobs. I honestly believe that,” he said.
“Is this what the party of Sir Cecil Wallace Whitfield, Sir Kendal G.L. Isaacs and Hubert Ingraham has come to? We get it that the Ingraham era is over, but is Minnis’ strategy of shaping the FNM organization into his philosophical image and likeness to have this democratic organization used as a willing vessel and conduit through which a jilted and bitter developer can launch a vengeful and retaliatory strike against the state over a perceived wrong done unto him,” Mr. Roberts continued.
The PLP chairman warned Dr. Minnis that national leadership through public service is about consistently reflecting the collective will of the Bahamian people and that the instruments of the state are to be used to dispense social justice and fair play for all, as opposed to seeking vengeance or punitive acts of reprisals by the few.
