Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar called the treat made by Compass Point owner Leigh Rodney to leave The Bahamas ‘silly’ and said he is not threatened by it and doesn’t want to meet with Rodney because he has exhausted all of his routes as minister.

“I just think the threat is so nonsensical. It’s so ridiculous,” D’Aguilar said yesterday. 

D’Aguilar’s comments came after Mr. Rodney expressed in a local daily that he wanted to meet with the government to address his concerns. 

However, D’Aguilar said he met with Mr. Rodney several times in the past and now he feels that discussions are at an impasse.

“He operates a hotel in this country and he had issues with the licensing process, how it’s done and he has numerous other issues,” he said.   

“It’s probably better served and requires a better level of detail to be better served at the level of the Hotel Licensing Board.  That’s why we appoint the board.” 

In Tuesday’s edition of The Bahama Journal, Mr. Rodney placed an ad noting that the Free National Movement administration promised to make it easier for businesses to operate in The Bahamas, but that after two years in office nothing has changed. 

The ad further noted that if the FNM wins the next election and nothing changes, Rodney would be forced to close Compass Point and leave the country.

To that, the minister of tourism asserted that he will not be threatened adding that it’s not the way business is conducted in The Bahamas.

“He has to do what he has to do.  If he feels he has to shut his hotel down because the government hasn’t succeeded at his demands, then that’s what he has to do,” D’Aguilar said. 

“I told him that because he’s rich and he could afford to do that.  He has to also consider the lives of his 60 Bahamian employees.

“It’s inappropriate to come in to The Bahamas, build a business and threaten the government that he is going to close it down if his demands are not acceded. That’s not the way to negotiate.

“I would never ever dream of going into The United States and going to the local officials saying, ‘Look, if you don’t change your ways I’m going to pull down my business.’ They will laugh at me and tell me to go shut it down.”  

When asked if compass point closing will effect on the country’s tourism product D’Aguilar said, “Well of course, everything does, but that doesn’t mean that an elected official of this country is going to roll over and play dead if someone comes and threatens them.”