Calling for an investigation into the appointment of Mr Hannes Babak as Chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Senator Philip Galanis challenged the Progressive Liberal Party administration to adhere to its Bahamianization policy in ensuring that foreign workers are not getting work permits for jobs that can be filled by qualified Bahamians.
Senator Galanis’ challenge to the government came in I response to criticism levelled at him for his attacking “the two partners in the Port Authority.”
In a letter to the Editor of the Freeport News, G Martin criticised Mr Galanis saying: “For Senator Galanis to attack the choice of the two partners in the Port Authority simply shows his naive political positioning and a total misunderstanding of precisely who is in charge and is processing all applications to the port.”
In response, Senator Galanis explained that his comments concerning the situation at the Port Authority, which saw Julian Francis and Barry Malcolm resign, stemmed from what he sees as Mr Babak’s duel role as regulator and licensee. “The reason I said what I said,” Mr Galanis told The Tribune, “has to do with Mr Hannes Babak as regulator in his capacity as Chairman and also as a licensee. He owns companies that compete with other persons in the port.”
“How can you have the regulator also be in competition with other people who you are licensing’?” the Senator wanted to know.
“I said, I could not believe that there was due process in the selection of the replacement for Mr Francis,” continued Senator Galanis. “Immediately on his retirement, they brought in Babak to replace him. I do not recall there being any kind of advertisement or job search made by the Grand Bahama Port Authority to find a Bahamian to replace him.”
Senator Galanis was lost for explanations as to why his administration would approve a work permit that would allow Mr Babak to assume the position of the Port without a proper search for a Bahamian replacement, only saying: “I am still not satisfied that I have gotten all the answers that I need to come to a conclusion to say that this is what I understand to have transpired.”
What Mr Galanis said that he does know is that Sir Albert Miller, Lady Henrietta St George, and Sir Jack Hayward came to Nassau and met with the Prime Minister. They, according to Mr Galanis, essentially told the Prime Minister what their intentions were.
“Between the time that that meeting was held and the time that Mr Babak was given a work permit to do the work,” said Mr Galanis, “he was working in the port without a permit.”
“I would be the first to criticise the government if they did not insist on implementing the Bahamianization policy that was eslablished a long time ago,” Senator Galanis said, “but I am more qualified than Mr Babak, and nobody asked me to take it.”
Mr Galanis said that he was not saying that he would want to take the position, but he made the comment to highlight the fact that there are Bahamians as qualified or more qualified to fill the position left vacant by Mr Francis and other Bahamian officials at the Port Authority.
By MARK HUMES, The Tribune
