Opposition Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis yesterday called for the resignation of Agriculture and Fisheries Minister V. Alfred Gray after it was revealed last week that there is a proposed multi-billion dollar Agri-Fisheries deal between The Bahamas and the People’s Republic of China.

“The prime minister said that only he, and he alone could sell or lease Bahamian land, yet the prime minister still has not said if he knew about the proposed deal,” Dr. Minnis said during a press conference at the FNM headquarters.

“If he did not know then one must conclude Minister Gray was acting on his own, and if so, after his many other failures as a minister, the PLP Government must finally act. We stand with the people and call for Minister Gray to resign as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. He has lost touch with the people and he has lost their trust,” Dr. Minnis said.

Dr. Minnis also highlighted a previous incident under Minister Gray’s tenure, which he stressed only highlighted his ineptitude as a minister.

“This is not the first time that Minister Gray has betrayed the Bahamian people’s trust. In 2003, he was also the minister in charge of our fisheries when the Korean boat scandal occurred where boats fishing in our waters had mortgages owned by Koreans.

“After finally being forced to revoke the licenses for the boats and impound them, Minister Gray said that the boats were not owned in accordance with the Bahamian government’s policy to reserve fishing for Bahamians only. What has changed now, why is he willing to allow boats owned by Chinese to fish in our waters?

“Rather than bargaining away the rights to our land our waters to their foreign overlords, it is high time that the government start approving the Crown land applications from Bahamians that the prime minister stated are in front of him,” Dr. Minnis said.

Dr. Minnis also hit out at the government over the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI), saying the economic opportunities promised through this institution may not necessarily happen.

“The Bahamian people were hoodwinked by Christie into believing that the BAMSI project would provide opportunities for local entrepreneurs to create a direct market supply line that would stimulate the economy and benefit Bahamians leading to the further development of the agricultural sector of our economy and ultimately greater food security.

“If this under the table deal is allowed to stand, only the Chinese will benefit, we must not allow these negotiations to go,” Dr. Minnis said.

The proposed deal for Andros would entail the incorporation of 100 companies, with the agricultural products and seafood to be used for local consumption, and exported to China and the United States for sale.