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Blackbeard’s presence ‘contrary to rule of law’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A Bahamian QC says it “seems contrary to the rule of law” for the $12 million Blackbeard’s Cay project to still be operating more than 26 months after the Supreme Court quashed all its approvals. Brian Moree QC, senior partner at McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes, in an interview with Tribune Business echoed those questioning how the controversial development has been able to remain operational without the necessary licenses and permits. Mr Moree, who represents the Honduran-based Instituto De Ciencias Marinas (IMS) in its dispute with Blackbeard’s Cay’s de-

QC: ‘Big questions’ on $12m project’s continuation

Sir Franklyn Wilson last night slammed the growing “anti-Chinese hysteria”, warning that it would prevent the Bahamas from achieving its desired development and job growth targets. The Sunshine Holdings chairman told Tribune Business that with both the local private sector and the Government unable to generate the necessary GDP and employment expansion themselves, the Bahamas had little choice but to seek out foreign direct investment (FDI) sources. With China one of the few sources of available surplus capital, Sir Franklyn said it was logical for the Christie administration and its diplomats to seek potential investments from the world’s most populous nation. And, suggesting that Opposition leader, Dr Hubert Minnis, was being hypocritical in his comment on the $2.1 billion agriculture and fisheries proposal, Sir Franklyn argued: “Partisan politics is again proving a hindrance to national development.” With the existing Bahamian economy seemingly unable to generate enough sustainable jobs to support a growing population, he added that the Government had to “fish where the fish

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

An Aerial view of Blackbeard’s Cay.

Sir Franklyn blasts anti-China ‘hysteria’ By NEILHARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Tribune Business Reporter

Strengthens case for dolphin repatriation veloper, Blue Illusions, said it was “reasonable” in the circumstances to repatriate the project’s dolphins to his client. The Court of Appeal recently upheld a Supreme Court verdict that IMS is the dolphins’ true owner, not Blue Illusions and its principal, Samir Andrawos.

Asks: Where else are jobs, growth coming from? Bahamas has ‘no choice’ but to ‘fish for FDI fish’ Argues local private sector lacks ‘engine to do it’

Ex-BAIC chair’s son in Andros timber venture By NATARIO McKENZIE

Still operating over two years following ruling

With the dolphins a major attraction for the cruise passengers and other visitors to Blackbeard’s Cay, their potential loss threatens to deal the business a severe blow - hence the intention of Blue Illusions and its attorney, Wayne Munroe QC, to appeal the latest ‘ownership’ verdict

to the London-based Privy Council. “The bigger question continues to be whether the business should be operating at all in view of the judgment of Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs,” Mr Moree told Tribune Business of Blackbeard’s Cay. See pg b2

Unions, employers ‘not so far apart’ on labour reforms By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net The National Tripartite Council is set to resume negotiations over the proposed labour law reforms this Friday, one unionist saying yesterday: “We’re not as far apart as it appears.” Jennifer Isaacs-Dotson, president of the Union of Tertiary Educators of the Bahamas (UTEB), told Tribune Business she was “optimistic” that the Council’s three members would eventually reach agreement. Both she and Peter Goudie, one of the employer representatives on the Council, agreed that nothing had been finalised at the inaugural meeting last Thursday, despite “very vigorous and robust discussion”.

Unionist hopes to ‘move a bit closer’ on Friday First meeting ‘very vigorous and robust” Employers: ‘We’re really no further along’ The private sector on one side, and the unions and the Government on the other, appear far apart on controversial proposals to reform the Employment Act and other key labour legislation. Prominent are the union desires to remove the Employment Act’s existing ‘12-year cap’ on severance/redundancy pay, and See pg b4

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South Abaco MP, Edison Key, yesterday confirmed his son is a principal in the company seeking an Andros timber harvesting license, saying governments were “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” in approving foreign joint ventures. Speaking with Tribune Business outside the House of Assembly yesterday, the ex-Bahamas Agriculture and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) chairman said he was not involved “whatsoever” with Caribbean Global Timber Ltd. Yet he then sought to justify the company’s proposed project, which would involve timber harvesting and resin extraction from pine trees on 4,500 acres of Crown Land in the San Andros area. “Andros and Abaco are two main islands with pine; a tremendous amount of pine forest. The pine in most of these ares are very thick,” Mr Key said. “They grow very tall out; they do not size up. They’re jammed up. Anything that could help to reduce that by cutting down some of the pine and allowing the rest

Edison Key: ‘I’m not involved whatsoever’ But MP then supports proposed project Govt ‘damned if you do, damned if don’t’ on FDI

Edison Key of it to grow, I don’t see anything wrong with it. The pine needs thinning out; it’s too thick. “If you go to Andros there’s thousands of acres of pine just growing tall and See pg b4

Govt approves $200m cruise port agreement By NATARIO McKENZIE

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

Bahamian involvement taken from policy into deal

Prime Minister Perry Christie said yesterday that the Government has approved the agreement with Carnival Cruise Lines for See pg b4

PM says Hutchison waiver will ‘save face’

Tribune Business Reporter

www.mybafsolutions.com

Sir Franklyn Wilson are” when it comes to attracting FDI. “How do you get development? How do you do it? Where are the jobs going to come from?” questioned Sir Franklyn in an impassioned defence of the Government’s actions. “The Government can’t do it; create jobs. See pg b4

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