Answering a number of critics yesterday, Prime Minister Perry Christie says that claims that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government has a special relationship with the Chinese are baseless and unfounded.

During his wrap up of the 2016/2017 budget in the House of Assembly, Mr. Christie vehemently denied any collusion between his government and the Chinese.

“The accusation that my government is conspiring with the Chinese against the previous developer is totally false. The record will show that while I was acting as an intermediary with the Eximbank at the request of Mr. (Sarkis) Izmirlian, he without notice to the Bahamas Government, the Eximbank and the general contractor filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States.

“It was upon the advice of the government’s Bahamian, US and UK attorneys that the Government of The Bahamas resisted in the national interest the Chapter 11 proceedings and recognition of same in Bahamas courts,” Mr. Christie said.

The Prime Minister lamented on the notion of the FNM making the ordeal a PLP problem when their government was actually the first to develop an economic relationship with this country through the investment of Hutchinson Wampoa In Freeport.

“We should also recall that the Ingraham Government awarded to the same Chinese Company under the New Providence Road Improvement Programme to rebuild the roadways from the Lynden Pindling International Airport along JFK Drive.

“Why then in such circumstances, Mr. Speaker, should anyone try to argue or suggest some special out of the ordinary relationship between my Government and the Chinese Construction Company and the Financing Bank.

“As history would have it, it was an Ingraham FNM Government that brought about diplomatic relations between The Bahamas and the People’s Republic of China and it was the right thing to do,” Mr. Christie said.

Mr. Christie also said that the Opposition made remarks in regards to the Chinese people help foster a sense of xenophobia among Bahamians and led to very prejudice commentary.

“The rhetoric and false accusations coming from the side opposite and other sources are astounding and not helpful to say the least in achieving an overall solution, that would permit the project to be completed and successfully operated not only for the benefit of the stakeholders, but more importantly thousands of Bahamian workers, scores of Bahamian sub-contractors and suppliers who are in dire financial straits, and the economy of The Bahamas for the benefit of all our citizens.

“The orchestrated anti-Chinese rhetoric does not bode well for the friendly relations which exist between The Government of The Bahamas and The People’s Republic of China as well as the two state owned entities Eximbank of China and China State Engineering & Construction 22 Company and its subsidiary China State Construction Company who have invested heavily in The Bahamas.

“The Government of China has also been a generous donor and good supporter of The Bahamas within the international community,” Mr. Christie said.

Mr. Christie closed by saying his government is committed to remain engaged with the stakeholders and the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the Receiver/Managers, Provisional Liquidators and the Bahamas Supreme Court to achieve not only completion of Baha Mar project, but its successful operation by world class hotel and casino partners.