Beleaguered Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell this week lamented the plight of Bahamians who have a lot of money and no where to invest it.
People like web shop boss Sebas Bastian, who Mr Mitchell used as an example, saying that the young CEO of Island Luck is being stifled economically in his own country.
“You have a young entrepreneur like Sebas Bastian and they have huge amounts of capital in their own country, and their own country will not allow them a legitimate opportunity to invest their monies to grow their wealth,” he said.
“And this [is] a new generation of Bahamians. We have to fix that, Mr. Speaker.”
Mitchell is apparently too daft to relaize that Mr Bastian’s wealth appears to have came from the proceeds of crime… illegal gambling.
This would be like saying cocaine dealers have no where to invest their money. Poor babies.
Mitchell also questioned why successful Bahamians like Robert Sands of Baha Mar and another veteran hotelier, Russell Miller, were not in charge at hotels in The Bahamas.
Ya mussy jokin Fred!
Mr Izmerlian and his Chinese backers have nearly $3 billion invested in Baha Mar. They can hire whomever the hell they want to run their company, whether that person is a Bahamian or not.
And Mr Mitchell should get down on his knees every night and thank God that Mr Izmerlian decided to invest that $3 billion in The Bahamas.
Work Permit Policy
Alas, Dred Fred also dismissed concerns from the business community that the government’s work permit policy will deter foreign investment.
He said local businessmen were “rowing in the press, saying investors are going to be scared coming to The Bahamas”.
Mitchell said this is not true. Investors that have spoken to the media say it is true.
Who ya gonna believe?
And, on Tuesday, Minister of State for Investments Khaalis Rolle conceded that the policy will “certainly” scare away foreign investors.
Rolle said foreign workers are needed in areas where Bahamians cannot meet the labor demand.
Mr Mitchell is a Harvard educated lawyer. He needs to start acting like one and stop pandering to the xenophobes that are ruining this country.
