WHAT MACALPINE SAID IN HIS OWN WORDS ON GBI OIL PLAN
( reported in The Nassau Guardian 4 April 2018)
“The reality is we are losing credibility with voters based on our performance thus far. that’s rough and maybe I shouldn’t have said that, but that’s the God’s honest truth.
“We are losing credibility with our supporters and the Bahamian people based on our performance. However, we have an opportunity to fix it
“From the perspective of the administration, we have fumbled the ball in that respect as a government,” he said. “My mama taught me if it doesn’t start right, it’s not likely to end right.
“We look like we are in a desperate state. Desperation often leads to ruination. I think we need to pause, look at these deals…
“I think the people who are really being affected are not the generation of today but the generation of tomorrow. My grandchildren and great grandchildren will feel the effects of this in the years to come.
“We as a government and a party touted and promoted transparency and accountability,” he said. “That part of our promise to the Bahamian people seems to be diminishing in the minds of the Bahamian people.
“You talked about transparency, but at the end of the day you have still not brought forth the Freedom of Information Act. You still have not told us why certain things were done as it relates to certain persons who have been terminated.
“There have been so many missteps and so many other people have not been held accountable. Yet, we can’t find out why one of our members has been terminated. Yet, we were in the room with someone who is unsavoury in the Oban deal, but yet no one has been terminated for that.”
“I’m not in the yes column and I’m not in the no column. I’m in the maybe column because there are still some pertinent questions and answers that need to be dealt with.
“… Oban is going in one of the most pristine areas in Grand Bahama, the eastern district. I’m concerned about the environmental impact to our waters, our beaches and our air.
“The fact is that we have an industrial zone area already in the western district.
“Why do you want to then not consider the western district, but go into the east and leaving the rest of the residents, including Pineridge, in the middle? It will affect our air, our health and our water table.
“What the PLP did or didn’t do at this juncture does not matter.
“We are the government of the day. Regardless of what we say about the PLP, they did not sign any deal.”