| BY
KEVA LIGHTBOURNE,GUARDIAN STAFF REPORTER
Two years after a
"fresh wind" swept the Progressive Liberal
Party into power, Prime Minister Perry Christie said
that far from being a "do-nothing"
government, much had been achieved.
At a prayer
breakfast attended by hundreds of party supporters at
the Wyndham Nassau Resort, Mr Christie, in addition to
announcing that The Bahamas' international relations
were "intact" and placed in a "proper
perspective," highlighted a number of investments
and housing developments accomplished since May 2,
2002.
While in
opposition, he said, he envisioned that developments
in major islands would make unnecessary the need for
residents to move to New Providence and Freeport.
This objective is
being realised in northern and southern islands, he
said.
Landed gentry
Mr Christie told
the gathering that Minister of Financial Services and
Investments Allyson Maynard-Gibson was in Washington
last Friday negotiating with a wealthy, well-known New
England family that wanted to introduce
"major" developments in Mayaguana.
"And who would
wish, if we gave permission, to start right now,"
he said. "But we don't do things that way. They
say Christie takes long...no, Christie takes long
enough to ensure that the investments are in the best
interest of the people of the Commonwealth of The
Bahamas," he said.
Cultural
sensitivity
Mr Christie said
the Inter-American Development Bank is interested in
assessing investment prospects at Inagua, that has the
largest Flamingo reserve in the world, in addition to
its share of wild donkeys and other animals.
Also he said, the
owners of Club Med in San Salvador, who are adding new
amenities, have indicated their intent to have the
resort "become the premier Club Med in the
world".
In a meeting with
the group two weeks ago, he said Club representatives
asked whether, "I would entertain some of the
world leaders who they would wish to bring there to
show who have Club Med facilities in their
countries."
"I come to
tell you there are direct flights coming from Paris,
Montreal, New York, Florida into San Salvador, and
everyone who wants to work in San Salvador will
work," Mr. Christie declared.
Although while in
opposition the PLP opposed the Bimini Bay project, Mr.
Christie told the cheering delegates, his government
persuaded the developer, Geraldo Capo, who agreed to
"radically reduce" the development.
"We wanted
every investment in every island to be consistent not
only with the environmental standards, but with the
cultural setting of the island," Mr. Christie
said.
Seventy housing
units are presently under construction.
In addition to the
government's own investment in a new airport and paved
roads in Rum Cay, Mr Christie said, further
investments are taking place in Abaco, Eleuthera, West
End and Freeport.
Cuba visit 'no big
deal'
Mr. Christie told
participants in the prayer breakfast that during a
meeting with United States President George Bush, he
was surprised over the reaction expressed over his
visit to Cuba in November, 2002.
Mr Christie made
history, when he became the first Bahamian Prime
Minister to make an official visit to Cuba, that he
attended along with a delegation of 14 Caribbean Heads
of State and Government officials attending the 30th
Anniversary celebration of diplomatic relations
between Cuba and four Caribbean nations, namely,
Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
"Why should
that be an astonishment when The Bahamas has over 160
students in Cuba; when Caribbean countries have
thousands of students in Cuba; where Bahamians go for
medical attention; where our Commissioners of Police
meet annually?" Mr Christie asked.
"But, the
President of the United States knew that when I sat in
Cuba I sat also as a friend of the United States of
America," he assured.
"So it was
nothing to go to Haiti," he added. "These
are necessary things that must be seen in their true
perspective.
"Your
government has been able to so conduct itself in
international relations (that) it is not an unusual
thing for the President of South Africa, or the Prime
Minister of Jamaica or the President of Guyana to pick
up the phone and say, 'Christie, what's happening'.
That is the way it is in The Bahamas today," Mr.
Christie said.
Encouragement
Jacqueline Gibson,
wife of the Minister of Housing and Social
Development, Shane Gibson also addressed the
gathering, encouraging government leaders to hold fast
to their dreams and never forget that all things were
possible through God and prayer.
At times they would
come up against strong detractors, she said, but it
was their duty to unite and move "forward
together, never wavering."
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