Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Obie Wilchcombe: ...the amount of foreign labour needed for the Baha Mar project is "politically toxic"

The PLP 'still want Baha Mar vote to be carried by govt'
tribune242



THE Progressive Liberal Party has reportedly voted in favour of continuing to allow the government to carry the burden of whether or not the Baha Mar labour resolution is passed in the House of Assembly when it is brought before Parliament next month.

According to party sources who spoke to The Tribune yesterday, the PLP met and discussed the matter on Sunday night, and have stuck to their initial position that this vote will have to be carried by the current "FNM government."

On Sunday, PLP leader Perry Christie said the party will of course be directly influenced by the "complete urgency" to do something for the economy of the Bahamas.

"It is an increasing serious state of affairs that exists here. The country is desperately in need of relief in respect to this dire unemployment situation. The question for us in examining in detail the implications of whatever the number of work permits are, the impact on Bahamian labour, and the length of time of the work permits," he said.

Having financially backed the $2.6 billion investment, the People's Republic of China is also requesting some 4,920 work permits for Chinese labour for the construction of the project. These work permits will come before Parliament in the resolution on September 8 to be voted on.

Leader of Opposition Business in the House of Assembly, Obie Wilchcombe, has already described the amount of foreign labour needed for the project as "politically toxic" - adding that the government is requiring Parliament to vote on the matter to avoid taking the brunt of what is expected to be massive public criticism in the near future.

August 24, 2010

tribune242