'Christie and Nygard link not good for the Bahamas'

FREE National Movement Chairman Darron Cash has charged that the relationship between Prime Minister Perry Christie and Lyford Cay billionaire Peter Nygard “cannot be good for the Bahamas” and suggested that the Progressive Liberal Party government “bows” to rich foreign investors at the expense of the country.

In a statement released yesterday, Mr Cash said the Christie administration must reverse this impression.

Mr Cash added that the fashion designer projects an attitude that he “owns” the country and the government, something the chairman said most Bahamians find “offensive”.

“Sometimes even a government is judged by the company it keeps,” Mr Cash said in a statement released yesterday.

“For governments, the reality is that not all foreign investors are created equal. Some foreign residents love the Bahamas and her people and work hard to uplift both. The overwhelming majority of foreign residents are selfless and add a great deal of value to the nation in their own quiet and understated ways. No one would ever ask them to ‘sit small’ and or to be quiet, but most people who are guests to a country understand social boundaries and are well aware of where the line is drawn between good taste and national engagement.”

He charged that when the first Free National Movement administration assumed office in 1992, the party went to great lengths to “clean up” the country’s image and reputation abroad “by reminding all concerned that we were now a place for clean business not financial hanky panky and dark closeted deals.”

He added that the FNM crafted a well-defined National Investment Policy to set out parameters for deals with foreign investors.

“The FNM message was simple, if you’re a foreign investor into foolishness don’t come to the Bahamas,” Mr Cash added.

Mr Cash said the government has not learned from the policies created by the Ingraham administration.

“Foreign nationals and investors who behave as if they own the government and the country should not be welcomed here. That kind of attitude is offensive to most Bahamians. This is not an attitude that the people’s government should encourage or condone. Sadly, the aforementioned is too often the attitude that Mr Peter Nygard projects.

“It was, after all, Mr Nygard who boasted after the 2012 general election that ‘we’ got our government back,” Mr Cash added, referring to comments Mr Nygard made in a video he posted to YouTube.

“He also bragged that he wrote the legislation and directed the Christie government to pass stem cell legislation. And it was after the general election that almost the entire Christie cabinet traipsed down to Nygard Cay to pay their respects to their benefactor as if they were making a pilgrimage to Mecca or the Holy Land as it were.

“A disturbing feature of the Christie government is their obvious willingness to ‘kiss up’ to and bow to rich foreign nationals at the expense of the environment and their people,” Mr Cash added. “Mr Christie must take the lead in erasing this unfortunate impression.”

Mr Nygard has said he has financially contributed to both the PLP and the Free National Movement (FNM) in the past. An affidavit he filed in court last year said he was a “major backer” of the PLP.

He has also publicly said he prefers Mr Christie to former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.

Mr Nygard is embroiled in a bitter dispute with his Lyford Cay neighbours and environmental groups over plans to develop and rebuild his property at Simms Point/Nygard Cay.

Last Monday scores of people marched downtown, waving signs, in support of him and denounced the criticism he has received over plans to expand his property.

Last Wednesday, former PLP Cabinet Minister George Smith joined the debate over Mr Nygard’s applications for Crown land, charging that Mr Nygard should “behave appropriately as someone who is a guest in another man’s country.”

Comments

TalRussell says...

My informed red shirts deep-throat tells how more than one red party official can thank their sweet Jesus for Comrade Renward Wells capturing the news headlines scene, forcing an eminent, organized revolt against red party officials to be placed on temporary hold, with the party's financial shakers calculating a move at this time against the most deserving party officials would only serve to deflect away from PM Christie being forced to demit his Bamboo Town MP's parliamentary secretary's position, for his having far exceeded his parliamentary secretary's pay-scale, when he signed that Letter of Intent, for like $600 million.

Posted 21 July 2014, 12:37 p.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

What does it say about the boss when two of their senior appointments show clearly, and at great disadvantage to the country, that they haven't a clue about the responsibilities of their roles? I'm baffled at how these people go into politics completely unprepared for public administration and at the same time unprepared to listen

Posted 21 July 2014, 4:45 p.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

tribune needs to put up a side by side shot of these two false pretenders ........ they are a match made in SHIT

Posted 21 July 2014, 1:06 p.m. Suggest removal

ChaosObserver says...

Anyone that knows Nygard has heard him say or/or imply he can get anything he wants or things done for others....he already "OWNS" this island.....He's just nice enough to let Christie "think" he's running it.....

Posted 21 July 2014, 2:13 p.m. Suggest removal

birdiestrachan says...

Poor Cash. I suppose he has forgotten how his Papa Ingraham bowed to the Khan and allowed him to dredge in the sacred Exuma Sea Park, and then bagged about having lunch at his house . and the helicopter rides. Cash is making up stories as he goes there are no facts or truth to 99 % of what he has to say.

Posted 21 July 2014, 4:52 p.m. Suggest removal

asiseeit says...

Look, this is about the RULE OF LAW. If the man used a dredge to build up his beach and put structures on crown land WITHOUT the proper permits, he BROKE THE LAW. Why can a man out west do what we Bahamians would not be allowed to do in our own country? You people always want to make this a PLP/FNM thing, it is not, it is about the rule of law and weather or not the law is for all or just those without the funds to make those laws go away. What kind of country do you want to live in, one with laws, rules, and regulations for all or one where a couple dollars here and there and those with the dollars can make their own law? BIRDIE, think on that one and be truthful if you can with yourself! (what idiot would say "he jumped off a bridge so I will as well", dumbass!

Posted 21 July 2014, 5:32 p.m. Suggest removal

birdiestrachan says...

You know what Dumb people do. so you just cuss, it gives you a sense of being superior. it is an illusion. Watch it. The Truth is the FNM has to have clean hands when they address an issue. in other words pots can not call kettles black. and Cash is only trying to make political points. They want power at any cost. it has nothing to do with the common every day man .

Posted 21 July 2014, 9:33 p.m. Suggest removal

Tarzan says...

This is a reply to Birdie and Generalcrazy:

Of course there is a political element to any statement made by any politician, but the fact is that in a parliamentary system there is a government in power, and politicians in opposition. Your only regard in these pages seems to be unremitting opposition to any politician's statements, factual or not, if the politician is in opposition. Your criticism is always that those politicians, when in power, were not perfect either.

So what? Who can speak and gain public attention better than politicians in opposition. It is the duty of the opposition to point out the errors of the party in power. When the FNM was in power that was the duty of the PLP.

This Nygard matter is above politics. Asiseeit, has it exactly right. This is not about competing policies. This is about rule of law. Civil society is under threat in the Bahamas. We are seeing our democratic institutions crumbling before our eyes. Thieves stealing copper grounding wire from electricity poles, causing catastrophic damage to homes during lightening storms. Murders on the street. Rule of law is our only hope. You cannot continue to support crony deals, back room sales of the public trust, grossly incompetent governance, all because the people pointing out the problems are politicians in opposition. If they need to be criticized for their conduct in office fine, but don't use that premise to ignore the evil that is being practiced right in front of your eyes.

Posted 22 July 2014, 9:18 a.m. Suggest removal

asiseeit says...

What gives me a sense of being superior is the fact that I will call a spade a spade no matter which party that spade is from. I want what is best for my country and I do not care about a particular political party. I am able to actually judge a situation without my judgment being clouded by a blind faith. I put the BAHAMAS first! Maybe for the sake of your children and grandchildren you should as well!

Posted 22 July 2014, 9:41 a.m. Suggest removal

licks2 says...

NYGARD DONE TELL PC DAT HE DONE GET BUY! AND DAT DUDE HAD THE GUTS TA TELL PC DAT HE WANT "THE NEXT HAND" TA GIVE HIM SOMETHING BACK!!! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha. . .iffin that een a slap in PC face I een know what is??

Posted 22 July 2014, 4:44 p.m. Suggest removal

Bungatuffy says...

Nygard! ,,, instead take a look at this Cuban millionaire Peter Vasquez doing a major dredging project at Leaf Cay exumas. Can't believe that the Bahamain government would approve such a environmental disaster! Destroying our gem, the most beautiful place in the world the Exumas. Once again the rich paying off our stupid government! Who knows maybe Nygard is an investor!!

Posted 23 July 2014, 6:39 a.m. Suggest removal

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