Tuesday, March 1, 2016
By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday slammed the Christie administration for its handling of the Cabbage Beach easement dispute, calling the government’s “atrocious response” the “major reason” vendors protested the closure.
Dr Minnis said the government should have met with officials on Paradise Island and negotiated provisions that would allow vendors to work without interruption.
He also called for all FNMs and otghers to join him at the foot of the bridge at 7am today to stand in solidarity with protestors.
He spoke to The Tribune after dozens of vendors clashed with police on Monday as they protested the closure of the main easement access to the popular beach.
He said listening to the concerns put forward by vendors, he has to question why the Progressive Liberal Party did not follow the roadmap left by the Ingraham administration that negotiated a deal with Kerzner International to allow vendors to work on the beach in the past.
Scoffing at the PLP’s “Believe in Bahamians” election campaign mantra, Dr Minnis said it is clear that the government isn’t serious about the rights of everyday, hardworking Bahamians.
“It was their responsibility to ensure that this aspect was resolved. These workers should have been protected, their livelihoods should have been protected, but the government has overlooked their issues and left them in this mess.
“Do they truly believe in Bahamians? They have no idea what that means. This new company has come in and made these promises and nothing has happened yet. The development they promised, where is it? This is what the PLP should be working to correct.”
Dr Minnis called on the Christie administration to hasten it efforts to resolve the Cabbage Beach ordeal and ensure those Bahamians that depend on the site to earn a living continue to have a place to work.
Ownership of Cabbage Beach was transferred from Atlantis (Brookfield) to a subsidiary of Access Industries in 2014. In late November 2015, vendors were given written notice stating that the access would be closed at the end of December.
The vendors then went to court and were granted an interim injunction blocking the closure.
In January, that interim injunction was not extended.
Comments
Publius says...
My question is this as well. The FNM knew from last year - December at least - that this would happen when it did if the government did not negotiate resolution before yesterday. This was not a secret thing. Their own member and candidate Halson Moultrie is one of the attorneys in this matter and he has been speaking publicly on it since last year in his capacity as attorney. Why wait until the 60-extension on access expires and then - only after the people take a stand - do you show up afterward to try to get fame from this issue? This is one of the reasons this country cannot advance. The Constitutional Opposition could have been on this issue in a productive manner before it even came to this. Instead, it tries to hop on the bandwagon of others' initiative trying to put themselves forward as the cause for any resolution that may develop; seeking to take credit that does not belong to them while not serving a productive purpose in their Constitutional capacity to actually see to a lasting resolution.
Posted 1 March 2016, 1:42 p.m. Suggest removal
Emac says...
Agreed! But both parties love to use these events to gain political points. Sickening!
Posted 2 March 2016, 8:22 a.m. Suggest removal
themessenger says...
Minnis and Branville obviously think that the way to begin fixing the crime problem is to condone the vandalism and destruction of private property in order to score a couple of cheap political brownie points.
Any person who could support and encourage the destruction of private property or vandalism of any form should be viewed as unstable and not fit for public office period never mind the Office of the Prime Minister.
Posted 1 March 2016, 2:42 p.m. Suggest removal
Observer says...
The land above the high water mark, (where the sea reaches at high tide) on Cabbage Beach, is PRIVATE PROPERTY. Those people who want to make that area a flea-market, and the politicians who 'support' their claim otherwise, will be trespassing. They have rights to the beach area between the high water mark and the sea. They have no right to demand location of a beach access through or adjacent to privately held property. What's next?
Posted 1 March 2016, 3:19 p.m. Suggest removal
Publius says...
The politicians could not care less what the salient issues are for either side. They simply want fame and votes. Is there any wonder why the country is the way it is in part?
Posted 1 March 2016, 3:34 p.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
Minnis and Dr: sands wants power at any price. and they will do what ever to get it. Sands is very pompous. he seems not to care about the poor. it is all a big show. They all knew what was going on,
Posted 1 March 2016, 5:17 p.m. Suggest removal
Emac says...
Why is Wells even there??? Just seeing him walking as if he has some form of dignity makes me want to regurgitate! These man have no shame and this is one of the main reasons the Bahamas is so backward.
Posted 2 March 2016, 8:24 a.m. Suggest removal
Publius says...
Very true
Posted 2 March 2016, 10:37 a.m. Suggest removal
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