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Pintard - Oban was a 'rookie mistake'

Tue, Jun 15th 2021, 08:48 AM
Environment Public Works/Infrastructure Tribune Stories

MORE than three years after the controversial Oban deal was signed, Minister of Marine Resources and Agriculture Michael Pintard suggested yesterday the government made "a rookie mistake" with the billion-dollar project, calling the deal "a clumsy execution of a ceremonial signing".

Mr Pintard made the remarks during his contribution to the 2021/2022 budget debate in the House of Assembly yesterday.
#While voicing his support for the 2021/2022 budget, Mr Pintard also made clear he doesn’t support every decision his party has made and even noted earlier in his speech that more could have been done by the government in its response to certain events, such as Hurricane Dorian.
#However, the Marco City MP said it is still his belief that the Free National Movement is the better “choice” for the Bahamian people adding it would be “disingenuous” of him to say the Minnis administration has not made efforts to return the Bahamian people’s lives back to some normalcy.
#He told Parliament: “We have not got everything correct in this administration in how we’ve responded and I don’t believe anybody has made that case… but I’ve certainly, like others, raised concerns about certain approaches taken, but I would not be disingenuous to say that we have not made the effort to transform some persons’ lives and bring them back to a place of normalcy.”
#He went on to comment on the many unfounded allegations made against the Minnis administration, labelling the critical remarks as “unfortunate”.
#“I’m not going to sit down in a Cabinet and hear a corrupt concoction and be party to it,” he said. “I find it offensive when certain charges are laid on matters that had to come to Cabinet and you presume, because you see we can’t be good friends but yet your allegations has the presumption that I could’ve been present when a deliberation was taking place that was not in the interest of the Bahamian people. That’s a problem.”
#He also referred to the proposed $5.5 billion dollar deal the government made with Oban Energies in 2018 for an oil refinery and storage facility for Grand Bahama.
#Questions were first raised in The Tribune about the people fronting Oban which was followed by a ceremonial Heads of Agreement signing that was considered one of the government’s most controversial points since winning office.
#Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has previously admitted his administration made mistakes with the billion-dollar project. The deal has yet to materialise.

Mr Pintard made the remarks during his contribution to the 2021/2022 budget debate in the House of Assembly yesterday.

While voicing his support for the 2021/2022 budget, Mr Pintard also made clear he doesn’t support every decision his party has made and even noted earlier in his speech that more could have been done by the government in its response to certain events, such as Hurricane Dorian.

However, the Marco City MP said it is still his belief that the Free National Movement is the better “choice” for the Bahamian people adding it would be “disingenuous” of him to say the Minnis administration has not made efforts to return the Bahamian people’s lives back to some normalcy.

He told Parliament: “We have not got everything correct in this administration in how we’ve responded and I don’t believe anybody has made that case… but I’ve certainly, like others, raised concerns about certain approaches taken, but I would not be disingenuous to say that we have not made the effort to transform some persons’ lives and bring them back to a place of normalcy.”

He went on to comment on the many unfounded allegations made against the Minnis administration, labelling the critical remarks as “unfortunate”.

“I’m not going to sit down in a Cabinet and hear a corrupt concoction and be party to it,” he said. “I find it offensive when certain charges are laid on matters that had to come to Cabinet and you presume, because you see we can’t be good friends but yet your allegations has the presumption that I could’ve been present when a deliberation was taking place that was not in the interest of the Bahamian people. That’s a problem.”

He also referred to the proposed $5.5 billion dollar deal the government made with Oban Energies in 2018 for an oil refinery and storage facility for Grand Bahama.

Questions were first raised in The Tribune about the people fronting Oban which was followed by a ceremonial Heads of Agreement signing that was considered one of the government’s most controversial points since winning office.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has previously admitted his administration made mistakes with the billion-dollar project. The deal has yet to materialise.

 

Click here to read more at The Tribune

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