PRESS RELEASE BY THE MINISTER OF WORKS & UTILITIES

BRADLEY B ROBERTS M.P.

AUGUST 21^ST, 2006

NASSAU, BAHAMAS.

HUBERT INGRAHAM IS A HAS BEEN AND IS AN OUT OF TOUCH FNM LEADER

Mr. Ingraham criticized the Government for agreeing to allow Kerzner International to contribute $250,000 towards the enhancement of the junction at Shirley and Mackey Streets.

Ingraham claimed that “we do not need no foreigner to give us money to fix our roads”.

Clearly Mr. Ingraham is a political dinosaur who has a very short memory or is a stranger to the truth. It was under the FNM Governance that Hubert Ingraham accepted significant contributions valued in the millions from Kerzner International which included the refurbishment and enhancement of many parks and green spaces in New Providence including parks in Flamingo Gardens, Yamacraw, Nassau Street and Quarry Mission Corner, the Montagu Foreshore, Betty Cole Park etc. I invite the Bahamian public to judge for themselves whether there is a difference between a road enhancement project and enhancement of parks and green spaces projects.

Further, I wish to make it abundantly clear that it was Kerzner International who so generously offered to contribute to the project.  This offer was graciously accepted by the Government of the Bahamas, on behalf of the Bahamian People.

 The idea of the enhancement to Shirley and Mackey Streets was advanced by a Bahamian Executive of Kerzner to which I, as Minister of Works, immediately agreed.  Subsequently, the Executive discovered that HNTB Corporation was previously commissioned by Kerzner International to conduct a study to examine access to Paradise Island from the Lynden Pindling International Airport in the 1990’s. It is my understanding that the report included recommendations that are now being implemented. The simple question for Hubert Ingraham to answer is why did his Government, who were kicked out of office in 2002, not execute the long over due improvements during his tenure.   

It was his Government who made a mess of things and did not listen to good advice.  CLEARLY HUBERT INGRAHAM IS AN OUT OF TOUCH LEADER.