Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts said that Opposition Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis should apologize to the Bahamian people over his comments over Baha Mar or “just go sit in a corner and keep quiet because he has nothing worthwhile to offer on this issue.”
Mr. Roberts’ comments came after Dr. Minnis condemned the government’s comments saying that Baha Mar workers, who received pay outs this week “should be grateful for what they get.”
Chairman of the Claims Committee for Baha Mar workers James Smith made those comments earlier this week after he said the government and China Exim Bank paid out millions of dollars to former Baha Mar workers who were still owed severance packages.
In a statement, Dr. Minnis said many of the workers were forced to settle for less than what was due to them.
Mr. Roberts, in a statement of his own, suggested that Dr. Minnis was against Baha Mar negotiations for the workers from the very beginning.
“His record on Baha Mar is clear: Dr. Minnis supported the failed Delaware bankruptcy filing. When the developer was only able to guarantee $15 million of the $600 million needed to complete the project, Minnis stubbornly and blindly continued his misguided support for the bankruptcy filing,” he said.
“When the developer clearly indicated that he would reduce the manpower at the resort by 98 percent to a skeletal crew of 52 workers, Minnis was in full agreement. He opposed the decision of the Bahamas Supreme Court to assert its judicial independence and protect the sovereignty of The Bahamas in adjudicating this asset. Dr. Minnis apparently wanted The Bahamas Supreme Court to subjugate itself to a foreign jurisdiction. Further, when the PLP government offered bridge payment to Baha Mar workers, the FNM vehemently objected to this, calling the decision a bad precedent.”
Mr. Roberts said if Dr. Minnis wants to remain relevant, he can start by condemning, what he called “outrageous lies” in the media.
“If Dr. Minnis wishes to be relevant, he could begin by doing something useful like condemning the campaign of outrageous lies being circulated on talk radio and social media,” the PLP chairman said.
“Lies such as the sale of Bahamian citizenships, the posting of erroneous images of Bahamas motor vehicle license plates and lies about an increase in the motor vehicle licensing fees should be roundly condemned and discouraged. While he is at it, Minnis should discourage xenophobia and racism.”
Mr. Roberts also praised Prime Minister Perry Christie for his leadership and negotiation skills.
“Again, the PLP thanks the prime minister for his strength of leadership, his superb negotiation skills, his faith, this confidence, his tenacity and his eternal optimism,” he said.
“The prime minister was the picture of grace under fire in the face of irrational clutter, claptrap and outright hostility to his policy and message in an attempt to mislead the public, create confusion and dumb down the national debate on Baha Mar. The PLP wishes the Bahamian people well as they work with their government to bring about a successful completion and opening of the Baha Mar project.”
