Prime Minister Perry Christie said he found Marco City MP Greg Moss' criticisms of the government over the extension of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement "unfortunate, foolish and a misuse of the English language". During debate on the extension in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, Moss accused the government of looking out for the interests of a group of foreigners in Grand Bahama while scores of Bahamians on the island continue to suffer.

Moss charged, "We have people today who cannot afford to keep their lights on and we are talking about giving a $100 million tax emption to foreigners."

But as he wrapped up the debate on Wednesday night, Christie said, "The member for Marco City arrogates unto himself some special disposition about the poor. Where does that come from?

"People have been elected and spend their lives in public life. There is no special disposition and working for the poor. Then talking about what we have or what we haven't done. Mr. Speaker, this has to do with an economy that was structured on the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. No matter how we look at it, it involves complex negotiations with people who represent corporations that have spent a lot of money and, they argue, have lost a lot of money."

Moss argued that the government should delay the extension. He questioned why the government is seeking a three-month extension on the agreement and said some Bahamians are asking if this is a "three-month shakedown". Christie said he found that comment "unfortunate".

"All of the cryptic references that people are making and when the member for Marco City spoke about shakedowns it is so unfortunate," the prime minister said.

"Shakedown is the last thing in the world anyone would do with an international company. It is such a foolish proposition; such a misuse of the English language. This whole thing about a delay, Mr. Speaker, I just want to end by saying God [doesn't] like ugly. We are going to prevail and by that I mean we the Bahamian people are going to prevail."

Moss, who resigned from the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) last year, said business as usual will "kill us".

"This idea that we could keep going down this path is going to destroy us," he said. "If people aren't comfortable with that you need to go talk with the voters."

But Christie said the government has to get it right and no matter how his opponents feel, he is not delusional.

"I can tell you I did not fly with my colleagues... to Switzerland just for cocktails," he said. "You don't have to tell me that.
"God knows that if we could actualize what those negotiations were all about I wouldn't have to come in here and debate about whether or not."

Christie traveled to Switzerland last week to meet with principals of the Mediterranean Shipping Company about additional investment opportunities in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

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