Prime Minister Perry Christie's announcement a week ago that there is some "deal" for the completion of the Baha Mar resort has been rightly met with hope and skepticism. On the one had, Bahamians need jobs and see Baha Mar as a potential economic boost at a time when the economy is contracting. On the other, Christie has done this before. He has giddily announced the hotel will be finished and open soon, only for nothing to happen.

This time, as we have mentioned, there does seem to be progress in moving the project out of bankruptcy and to completion and operation. Whatever understanding has been reached has been sealed before the Bahamian Supreme Court. What is also clear, though, is no final deal has been agreed. The details are still being worked out.

Because we have not seen what has been put before the court, we don't know how much has been resolved. Is the deal 90 percent done? Is it 60 percent done? What additional concessions have been given to the Chinese?

Yesterday the government released a statement on the way forward. It was an announcement that a committee was formed to process claims by workers and businesses owed by Baha Mar. The statement, however, raises more questions than it provides answers.

The government said claims would be paid from money provided by the Export-Import Bank of China. It did not say how much money the bank will allocate to these payments. It said the money will be made available to the committee "shortly". Shortly is one of the vaguest words in the English language.

The government also said it "hopes" Bahamian employee claims will be settled no later than September 30 and that other claims will be dealt with on or before December 31. The government "hopes" this will happen.

What we are getting from Christie and his administration are pieces of a process that is being worked on. The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) obviously thinks the media and Bahamian people are not so bright. They want us to blindly believe that the prime minister is a hero and happy days are soon to come. We know better than to trust Christie's promises.

It would have been wiser for the PLP to wait until the full deal was ready. But, the party chose another course. The media must now scrutinize carefully the claims, promises and timeline set out by a government that has lost credibility with its people. We will not just trust Christie.

Two thousand Bahamians lost their jobs when this resort went into bankruptcy. Some businesses are barely still viable after doing work for Baha Mar and not being paid. Our country is in recession and hopelessness is rising.

The media should not cheerlead for Christie in this matter. Our role is to press for transparency and the facts. This is especially important, as the government has chosen secrecy when it comes to what it has negotiated thus far. When the written deal is before the Bahamian people, then all will be able to judge what was done in our collective name. Too many questions remain unanswered at this time for any right-thinking Bahamian to feel at ease with what will happen at Cable Beach.

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