Bahamians being offered better deal
tribune242 editoial
WE ARE baffled by Opposition Leader Perry Christie's harping on the "secrecy" surrounding government's memorandum of understanding with Cable & Wireless (LIME). Surprised because on the desk in front of us is a file of the Christie government's secret negotiations with Bluewater that were then too sensitive to be shared with the public and of which no one knew the details until the Ingraham government came to office and opened the books. The union, by its own and Mr Christie's admission, was a part of the negotiations and approved the sale.
A week before the election, which resulted in the Christie government's removal from office, it was discovered that the privatisation committee for the Bluewater sale had submitted its report, which was approved by cabinet, but not signed by Mr Christie.
Today the public knows more about the Cable and Wireless proposal than it ever did about the Bluewater deal -- and even now information is coming out about Bluewater that the public is hearing for the first time.
Prime Minister Ingraham has promised that all information on the BTC sale with all documents attached will be made public two weeks before being presented to the House for a vote.
This full disclosure, we can assure our readers -- judging from the PLP's track record, especially recalling the "secret" land-giveaway in the Baha Mar Cable Beach deal -- would have never happened under the Christie government.
And so why does Mr Christie continue to harp on a deal being "clandestinely" dealt with "deep in secret" when there is nothing secret about it?
He believes government, avoided parliament yesterday morning, because it is afraid of the issue.
"They know that they are riding a tiger and you know old Confucius' saying: 'He who ride rides tiger dare not fall off,'" said Mr Christie.
We know that Confucius was a wise man, but this particular saying cannot be attributed to him. It is an ancient Chinese proverb, which says: "He who rides a tiger can never get off or the tiger will devour him."
Is this why Mr Christie cannot give up the secrecy myth? Maybe, he and the union representatives, who admit they were a part of the whole Bluewater negotiations, should come clean and tell the public why they were so secret when they were trying to hand over the Bahamian people's "jewel" to a group that had not been tested and had no track record in communications? No, Mr Christie, this is one tiger you will have to keep riding because if you fall off the people will indeed see that the Emperor has no clothes.
In yesterday's demonstration when a union member broke through the restraining barriers on Bay Street and was confronted by police, he taunted his colleagues, who remained behind the barricades: "They have y'all corralled like a bunch of animals. That is how they have you. Y'all look like a bunch of animals!"
Not only did they look like a bunch of corralled animals, but they were behaving as such without an independent brain in their heads. Imagine mounting a demonstration on the emotional hot air of politicians and union leaders without accepting the invitation to sit down with Cable and Wireless to discover for themselves what the negotiations are all about and the important role Bahamians are to play in it.
Today they now have a chance to sit down in the quiet of their homes and read the Cabinet's statement on page 7 of today's edition and see the bill of goods that the PLP was trying to sell them -- and if it were not for the election would have got away with -- and what they are being offered today.
This week a union leader accused government of giving away the country's cash cow. Indeed it is a cash cow that consumers are paying for dearly and unionists are milking without shame.
The backwardness of BTC has retarded the growth of this country's financial industry as well as local businesses that have been forced -- thanks to the computer -- to try to avoid the BTC monopoly as far as possible.
All we have heard so far is what the unionists want of BTC. It is now time for the consumers to be heard. Consumers want lower prices, better service and an ability to enter the world market without being hemmed in by suffocating monopolies.
Read the Cabinet statement and understand how Bahamians are being hoodwinked by politicians -- there is indeed no comparison with the Christie-backed Bluewater deal to what is being offered today by Cable and Wireless Communications.
December 16, 2010
tribune242 editoial
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.
