NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A prominent Grand Bahama attorney has vehemently criticized the government’s attempts to seize control of the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA, asserting that such actions could lead to three to five years of arbitration proceedings, consequently deterring potential investors.
He also cited the lack of investment and development beyond the port area as evidence of the government’s failure to deliver on its promises.
Kirk Antoni, the Cafferata & Company partner, told Eyewitness News: “The government doesn’t want to meet with us. They’d rather have their own little dog and pony show. That’s their prerogative. They want to meet with their people and that’s it. The Prime Minister says it’s a new day and he doesn’t care what Ingraham did or what Christie did, this is his time now and this is what he’s doing. What’s going to happen is they are going to be in arbitration for the next three to five years. In the meantime, no substantial investor is going to want to invest in Freeport. Why would you want to invest in Freeport if the government can come in and seize your assets?”
Antoni added, “I’m a lawyer and I do a lot of commercial transactions and one thing the GBPA said that is true is that the government holds up more transactions than they approve. The ease of doing business does not exist anymore in Freeport. I can’t speak for Nassau. The only government department that works efficiently in Freeport is Road Traffic. You can still go and get your car inspected and cleaned in 15 minutes other than that nothing works. My position is clear. I’ve been here 61 years and every dollar I’ve made has been invested in my children, my law practice, and property development. I can’t say what the Prime Minister or Fred Mitchell has invested in Freeport. I take offense to anyone regardless of what party who stands up and says they’re going to take over my city. I know what I’m dealing with with the port and I know what I’m dealing with with government, all you have to do is go outside of Freeport, east and west.”
Prime Minister Philip Davis has asserted that the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) has not been living up to its legal obligations to develop and grow the economy in Freeport, adding that the government has a “very strong case” to demand $357 million – which covers the last five fiscal years. He made the remarks while addressing a Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Branch meeting on Grand Bahama on Saturday during which he acknowledged that the government has sent a letter to the GBPA demanding the payment of $357 million within 30 days. If they fail to do so, the government has the right to begin arbitration proceedings immediately.
The Grand Bahama Port Authority has warned against the government’s efforts to “force” a sale of the Port Group, expressing concerns over the significant damage it could inflict on the Freeport economy, while strongly refuting the claim that it owes $357 million as asserted by the government.
Antoni said, “They want to label me a slave to the Port Authority. I have no connection with them and I have said on several occasions they need reform because they are just a bunch of cheque collectors. All the government does is obstruct and not pave the way for business to proceed smoothly in Freeport but I’d rather live in Freeport than Nassau.”
Freeport businessman Darren Cooper told Eyewitness News: “As a Grand Bahamian and licensee of the Port Authority I am greatly concerned about the back and forth with the government and the GBPA. The government on April 6\ hosted two meetings in Grand Bahama for selected persons only. The Chamber of Commerce’s president was not invited to those meetings to discuss the $357 million the government is seeking or recoup. We have several questions we would like the government to answer relative to this claim and why the government is refusing to meet with the wider business community.”
He added, “We have been advised that the government met with the GBPA to discuss the shareholders selling their shares and hence the conversation did not end well and now we’re seeing a hostile takeover. We feel as though the government should be clearer and be able to have a dialogue with all business owners and not the PLP-selected business owners.”
