PM: BAHA MAR DEAL MUST CHANGE
By CANDIA DAMES
Guardian News Editor
candia@nasguard.com
The government is unwilling to back down from its position that the plans for the $2.6 billion Baha Mar project at Cable Beach be adjusted in major ways, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said yesterday.
His strongest public comments to date on the controversial project came during a sitdown interview at the House of Assembly late yesterday afternoon.
Speaking of the financing being provided by the China Export-Import Bank, Ingraham said,"Attached to their funding are conditions that are onerous, burdensome and unacceptable insofar as the labor content is concerned and the government is therefore asking that some adjustment be made with respect to the labor content of the deal.
"...There are two things that stick in our claw and we want to be able to digest the project and it is difficult to digest it with these things sticking across here."
Apart from the labor issue, Ingraham referred to Baha Mar's plan to build the massive project at Cable Beach in one phase with a planned 2014 completion.
He said those are "major issues, like a big bone". The prime minister added,"It has to be fixed."
"To do the project in a one, single-phased development is not in our interest, and it's in our interest to have the development but not as a single-phased development. Regrettably, that is the position,"he said.
The prime minister was repetitive in many respects as he sought to stress the government's position on this matter.
"What is going to happen to the hundreds of people who are working in those towers that are going to be demolished(at the Wyndham)while it's going to take four years for the project to be completed?" he questioned.
"They are going to be twiddling their thumbs while foreign workers are constructing the place."
Baha Mar has requested 8,150 work permits for the project.
Ingraham said yesterday,"There is more than enough land between the Nassau Beach(Hotel)and the land owned by Baha Mar east of the Nassau Beach for them to construct their 1,000 room hotel, their casino and whatever else they want to construct and open it.
"And nothing prevents them from building the others at the same time. There's no need whatsoever for all to be built and opened at the same time. That is not in our interest. That may well be in the interest of the financiers, the construction company and the owners of the project, but what about our interest? It is not in our interest."
Ingraham said that given persistent criticisms in the media he has faced over the government's handling of the Baha Mar deal he thought it was important for him to "put his anchor down".
"And it is now down," he said.
The prime minister also said there are a number of conditions that Baha Mar must meet, noting that even if the government said yes to the project, it would not necessarily mean it would start tomorrow.
"I have told the Chinese State Construction Company on two occasions, the most recent of which was when we signed the loan for the Airport Gateway(last week), that it is next to impossible for The Bahamas to approve 8,000 or so Chinese workers constructing a resort in The Bahamas with no Bahamian workers on the site at the same time and no transfer of skills to Bahamians at the same time.
"And I've asked them to go back and review their proposition so that the Government of The Bahamas can take a decision, but it is not possible for a resort to be built in The Bahamas with exclusive foreign labor. That's not possible."
He added,"They are in America. They are building lots of things in the United States of America. They're not using all Chinese labor on those projects. I don't expect all Chinese labor to be used on a project in The Bahamas, period.
"This is my country and this is yours."
Ingraham said,"I'm not now putting to them a percentum. We told Kerzner 70 percent of the workers had to be Bahamian. At the airport where the Canadian company is building the new US Departure Terminal, 75 percent or so percent of the workers are Bahamians.
"We understand the nature and complexity of this project. We understand the finances being provided by the Chinese Export-Import Bank. So we accept that the percentum of labor is going to be higher on such a project than it would be on other projects, but we cannot accept a 100 percent foreign labor content on the project, that's not possible."
Regarding the timing of the approval process, he said,"I don't want to be pressured by anybody."
Ingraham then emphasized that he was "sick and tired"of certain stories related to Baha Mar that were "being peddled every day, putting in people's heads things that are not true."
"This was a deal structured by Baha Mar and the Chinese. That's fine. They have come to us. We're not rubber stamps. We have to have our input, our say, before we make a determination. I think the Bahamian people expect no less of me and the Government of The Bahamas,"he said.
"I spoke, I believe very clearly in the House the other day when I said that firstly we would not consider the resolution on the agenda of the House until we get written confirmation that Baha Mar has settled its loan with Scotia[bank], and that two, we would not deal with the matter of the resolution in the House before I go away(to China)on October 22.
"Nothing has transpired to change those two."
He added"I tried to deal with this before. I scheduled my time to deal with it on two occasions. I don't now want to be pressured by anybody as to when I would do so. When I was ready others were not. In due time I will and it will be announced. So there will be no surprise as to when it is going to be dealt with.
"...We have been more than willing to facilitate and accommodate Baha Mar. It is not our fault that it took all this time for them to come to terms about the loan. It is not our fault. We had two separate meetings of the House of Assembly scheduled for that purpose. They were not in a position to do so."
Asked whether he thought the decision by the Chinese partners to invest in Baha Mar was a vote of confidence in The Bahamas, Ingraham said,"If the Chinese didn't have confidence in The Bahamas they wouldn't even talk to Baha Mar. I wouldn't talk about invest, so the investment's in The Bahamas.
"And we are deeply appreciative for the Chinese willingness to invest that kind of money in The Bahamas. We are deeply appreciative and would wish for the project to go ahead.
"We know what the Chinese interest is in terms of what benefits they get out of the deal...There must be some interest on the part of The Bahamas and The Bahamas'interest is to maximize the benefits which may be derived for The Bahamas from this investment and to ensure that when the project is complete, that the project advances us, enhances our tourism and does not drag us down."
10/6/2010
thenassauguardian
A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.
