By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

WHEN the $3.5bn mega resort Baha Mar opens on April 21, Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis must resign because of his continued negative pronouncements - particularly that the West Bay Street project would not open, Marathon MP Jerome Fitzgerald said yesterday.

Speaking to reporters following the morning session of Cabinet, the Education Minister said previous comments attributed to Dr Minnis regarding Baha Mar were “unfortunate” and had a negative impact on the progress of the development and its employees.

PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts echoed similar sentiments, questioning whether Dr Minnis would issue a statement of congratulations to the government and the new owner of  Baha Mar.

Mr Roberts said failing to do so would affirm that former developer Sarkis Izmirilian still has Dr Minnis “on the leash”.

“At the end of the day, I understand Dr Minnis and the FNM has been really pulling and rooting against the Bahamian people although they say it’s the people’s time,” Mr Fitzgerald told reporters.

“If they do believe it’s the people’s time then they will be supporting this opening and, at the end of the day, I hope now after all Dr Minnis has said when this property does open on April 21st that he will resign because he should resign if he is that positive that the resort will not open.

“It’s unfortunate the things that he has said. It has really had a negative impact on the development and on the employees who are going to be working there. Many of them who are supporters I’m sure of the Free National Movement and are wondering why he is making these ridiculous statements. Obviously, he has no appreciation of the work and the co-ordination that went into ensuring that this day came about or he absolutely does not care and is saying what he says strictly for political reasons.”

He said as far as the government is concerned, everything regarding Baha Mar was exactly the way it was put to the public over the last several months.

“There has been no deviation and, if there was, we would have been the first to come forward and say ‘listen something has happened that gives us concern with regard to what we’ve said earlier with the scheduled roll out and what we said’, but as it is now everything has worked exactly the way we have said it.”

For his part, Mr Roberts said to have reached the transfer of Baha Mar from China Construction America to Chow Tai Fook Enterprises is expected to send “naysayers’ tongues wagging”.

He said: “In life, while they ‘march,’ you work. While they talk, you act. Two powerful lessons taught and things I’ve grown to love about our Prime Minister (Perry Christie) is that, everyone doesn’t deserve a response and the best leaders are the ones who speak through action (one of the many reasons for my reduction in political commentary this year).

“When Chapter 11 was filed, they criticised, he stayed silent. When the winding up petition was filed, they criticised, he stayed silent. When receivership was filed, they criticised, he stayed silent. The media demanded he speak, they criticised, and he stayed silent. However, his silence wasn’t because he didn’t have anything to say, but rather, because he and his government were hard at work, getting the job done.”

He added: “Today, the construction company handed over the keys to the operator, paving the way for Baha Mar to finally open. In one single act, the PM has now silenced his critics, and spoke louder than any press conference or release ever could. To achieve your life’s goals, avoid distractions, and stay focused; while humbly and quietly making moves. Your work and results will speak for you.”

Earlier this month Dr Minnis pledged that his party will “engage and execute a real sale” of Baha Mar “to a qualified and respectable purchaser who believes in Bahamians,” should the Opposition party win the next general election.

Dr Minnis also said this buyer would use only Bahamian labour to complete the beleaguered resort, while again promising that his party would make public the details relating to the Baha Mar deal and any other government dealings with Chinese investors.

He said despite pronouncements from the Christie administration, the $3.5bn resort is not open and it is uncertain when this will occur.

“The reality, my dear friends, is that the resort, sadly remains unsold, despite the many, many pronouncements by our delusional Prime Minister to the contrary,” Dr Minnis said at the time.

“Yet, the government, in the lead up to the general election continues in its charade. This week it was revealed that the new ‘alleged purchaser’ of the resort had only hired 650 of their promised 1,500 Bahamian employees, with little over a month to go before its ‘soft opening’ on April 21. We remind the public that there has been no marketing of this resort or room inventory being brought online for this ‘soft opening,’ which only confirms the true political motives behind this opening date, just weeks ahead of what will be our general election,” Dr Minnis said.