PLEASED at the Prime Minister’s admission of difficulties in his government’s BTC takeover bid, the opposition reminded him of their prediction it would go nowhere.

In a statement issued yesterday, the FNM branded the attempt to regain a controlling interest in the telecoms company “Prime Minister Christie’s fool’s errand” and said they are not surprised it didn’t work.

“We are not surprised that the Prime Minister has come to the sad conclusion that his team of negotiators will have to throw in the towel,” said the party in a statement.

“This conclusion is better late than never. He should have been at this position a long time ago, but we appreciate that the Prime Minister does not like to take advice from Bahamians.

“We are at least gratified that this piece of education has not had to come with a hefty price tag to the Bahamian people.”

The FNM said that to date, Mr Christie’s approach to handling BTC has been all wrong.

“Perhaps he will listen to good advice from the FNM this time: the FNM would like to suggest to him that his ‘cry baby, woe is me’ approach has been something of an embarrassment.

“When he stands on the steps of the seat of governmental power in the country and whines about the poor service he is getting from BTC, as if he is a ‘Joe blow’ member of the public, he is diminishing his office and making all of us look feckless and silly.

“Furthermore he is behaving as if he is suffering from amnesia. We remind the Prime Minister that he is not powerless. We remind him that as head of the government, he controls 49 per cent of the shares in BTC. That gives him a lot of clout.”

“Those shares give him seats on the board and the ability to knock heads and kick butts until he gets some satisfaction about how and when services in BTC will improve. Enough of the cry baby stuff. Use your authority PM and demand some accountability,” the party said.

The FNM went on to express concern that both the Prime Minister and the telecoms regulator, URCA, may have dropped the ball on BTC.

“URCA appears to have spent more time finding a way to give one regulated entity a rate increase than it has in seeking to ensure that average BTC customers – including our sobbing Prime Minister – get value for their precious dollars. Both the Prime Minister and URCA need to step up,” the opposition party said.