Premier Meets With Nigerian Minister In NY
This week Premier Paula Cox met with the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs while travelling on business in the US.
A statement issued said, “Discussions with Olugbenga Ashiru included a proposed Tax Agreement with Nigeria and related agreements and ways that the two countries can further progress the commercial relationship on matters that would ensure to the benefit of our respective citizens.”
Premier Cox said, “It was a constructive and useful exchange. The Foreign Minister was keenly interested in hearing about Bermuda and our insurance and reinsurance industry as well as our tourism product. There is a mutual willingness to explore these areas further.”
Premier Cox met the Nigerian Foreign Minister in a meeting in the margins of this week’s United Nations’ General Assembly session in New York.
Yesterday [Sept.21] the Premier attended the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting, while today Premier Cox is in Miami to participate in KPMG’s Infrastructure Summit. Theme of the conference is “An Island Perspective of a Global Challenge”.
Premier Cox who is joined by the Minister of Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Strategy Walter Roban and the Minister of Health Zane DeSilva will deliver the Keynote Address at today’s event.
Also, today the Premier will join a senior level of Government participants when Sir John Swan chairs a panel comprising of Ministers from the Governments of Bahamas and Aruba and senior leaders at KPMG.
The panel is entitled “A Current and Global Outlook for PPP Infrastructure Opportunities”, and will be moderated by KPMG Stephen Beatty – Partner and Americas Head of Global Infrastructure.
Referring to the conference, Premier Cox said, that “the Miami conference is particularly well timed given the strategic planning required on a number of Bermuda’s significant capital projects, as was done with the building of the new Hospital”.
Premier Cox added, “At this conference, a first-of-its-kind infrastructure conference organised by KPMG, I will make a presentation and participate in high level discussions on the mechanism of Public Private Partnerships. I will also have the opportunity to meet with regional leaders such as Cayman Islands Premier the Hon. McKeeva Bush who will be at the conference to make a presentation.”
Meanwhile, Minister Zane DeSilva, will also participate in a panel discussion at the forum. He will join others to discuss matters relating to health care. The panel discussion is called, “Infrastructure Focus for the Health Care Industry and Specifically Hospitals”.
Joining Minister DeSilva will be Senator Darcy Boyce, Barbados’ Minister of Energy, Immigration, Telecommunications and Invest Barbados, CEO of Bermuda Hospitals Board, David Hill and Gene Thompson, Director of Cayman University Medical Centre, James Campbell Bermuda Hospitals Board and Beth Cassells, of KPMG Canada.
Also on the summit panel discussion docket today will be Philip Butterfield, HSBC CEO. He will take part in a forum called “Structuring Sensible and Sound Financial and Credit Plan Support Supporting a Typical Infrastructure Project”.
The final panel discussion of the day is “Will There Be a Place for Hospitality and Tourism in Infrastructure Development. Bahamas Minister of Tourism Vincent Vanderpool Wallace and Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation for St. Lucia Allen Chaternet will head that discussion.
Finally Friday’s panel discussion entitled “What Will It Take to Get Ready For the Future in PPP Infrastructure”, will feature Minister Walter Roban, Jamaica’s Minister of Education Andrew Homes and Belco CEO and Tourism Board Deputy Chairman Vincent Ingham and others.
I am trying to find something positive about Bermuda forging relations with Nigeria given all the scam emails etc and here it is: .
This is another waste of money. The PLP yanked $100,000 from the Sunshine League. And with it they are having all-expenses-paid trips to Paris and Miami. Hey Mr.& Mrs Bermuda…do you feel like your getting screwed??!! No doubt some of you are loving it and will come back for more…the PLP are counting on it!
What Will It Take to Get Ready For the Future in PPP Infrastructure”
Lots and lots of tax revenue. Revenue we don’t have. That’s what it will take. Haven’t these morons heard PPP’s are a financial disaster.
@Sandgrownan: I agree 100%. Statistically speaking, PPP’s generate hundreds of thousands (if not millions) in cost overruns due to mis-management, cronyism, and opaque (at best) bidding practices. On top of all of that, one can expect the public to foot at least 50% of the bill of any PPP Infrastructure investment. In theory, the only way to have a successful PPP Infrastructure solid planning, defined roles and responsibilities, limits on authority and a clear, fair and vetted bidding process – which clearly is not Bermuda’s strong suit (sorry to say).
I think I got an email from that guy. It appears he has $245 million is US dollars, and needs my help to get it out of the country. In return, I get 10% for my troubles. I just need to send him my bank details, and he will take care of the rest and I will get my 10%.
I received this from your guy’s brother:
SIR,
I AM MAKING THIS CONTACT ON BEHALF OF MY SISTER MRS MARIAM ABACHA, THE WIFE OF OUR FORMER HEAD OF STATE, LATE GENERAL SANNI ABACHA, NOT MINDING THE CONSEQUENCES, BUT HOPING THAT YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND OUR PREDICAMENT HENCE THE NEED FOR YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE AND CO-OPERATION.
I AM PRINCE ISA AHMED THE YOUNGER BROTHER TO MRS, MARIAM ABACHA. SHE GOT YOUR CONTACT WHILE GOING THROUGH HER LATE HUSBAND’S LIBRARY AND HOPE THAT YOU CAN GIVE US ADEQUATE ASSISTANCE.
MY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO SEEK YOUR ASSISTANCE IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF THIRTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY (US$35,000,000) OUT OF NIGERIA AND INTO YOUR TRUSTED BANK ACCOUNT ABROAD. THESE FUNDS WERE PART OF THE FUNDS, WHICH WAS FOUND IN HER LATE HUSBAND’S PRIVATE ROOM. IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS SUDDEN DEATH LAST YEAR AND SHE QUICKLY INFORMED ME, SINCE I VIRTUALLY RUN MOST OF HER SECRET BUSINESS BOTH HERE IN NIGERIA AND OVERSEAS, AS SHE HAS A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN ME AND FORTUNATELY WITH MY IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE, AND CONTACT WE WERE ABLE TO DEPOSIT THE MONEY IN A SECURITY VAULT PENDING WHEN THE WHOLE SITUATION WILL BE CALM.
PRESENTLY, ALL THE FAMILY BANK ACCOUNTS ABROAD WERE FROZEN BY OUR FORMER HEAD OF STATE GENERAL ABDUSALAMI ABUBAKAR BECAUSE OF ALLEGED LOOTING OF OUR NATION’S MONEY BY HER LATE HUSBAND GENERAL SANNI ABACHA, BUT FORTUNATELY FOR US, WE ARE NOW IN A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT, AND THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO REMOVE THE MONEY OUT OF NIGERIA, WE ARE WILLING TO GIVE YOU 30% OF THE FUNDS AFTER THE TRANSACTION FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION. ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS AN ASSURANCE THAT YOU CAN HANDLE THE AMOUNT INVOLVED COMFORTABLY AND ALSO I CAN TRUST YOU WITH THIS VERY ARRANGEMENT.
IS REST ASSURED THAT THERE IS NO RISK INVOLVED SINCE I HAVE TAKEN CARE OF EVERYTHING HERE IN NIGERIA?
I WANT YOU TO IMMEDIATELY INFORM ME OF YOUR WILLINGNESS IN ASSISTING / CO-OPERATING WITH US ON MY E-MAIL ADDRESS SO THAT I CAN SEND YOU FULL DETAILS OF THIS TRANSACTION AND LET MAKE rearrangement FOR A MEETING AND DISCUSS AT LENGTH ON HOW TO TRANSFER THE SAID FUND. FINALLY, I AM TRUSTING ON YOUR FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE ABOVE AND HOPING THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR ABSOLUTE CONFIDENTIALITY. AWAITING WITH INTEREST YOUR RESPONSE AND HOPING TO DEVELOP GOOD BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
PRINCE ISA AHMED
Damn, maybe I should hold out for 30% too.
can I get a piece of the action? I have many dollars and will gladly be of assistance. Sounds like a winner…lucky
I am a proud hardworking Nigerian woman not looking for shortcuts and having said that i am sick and tired of the stupid ‘all Nigerians’ generalizations…if we were to all generalize i would say the younger generation of Europe and America are all selfish, senseless, lazy brats who all want quick access to fame and fortune by becoming pop /reality tv stars…look at your statistics there are more foreigners than indigenes in your schools…but if i cant get away with that statement then please recognize the fact that not all Nigerians sit behind their computers typing letters…some of us work. (The hard way).
Ps if you did believe black paper can be washed into dollars or that your name or father’s name somehow magically appeared in babangida/abacha/samuel doe/idi amin’s diary (considering the fact that u know that nobody in your generation has ever left your state) then you deserve to have you account cleaned out. Stupidity has its own reward!!!
Spot on Mrs Aweda. Someone once said only a greedy person would fall victim. Is there a short cut to wealth? The shortest cut is old fashioned hardwork. In talking about the gullible victims however, we must remember, these are people from a background, where trust is still inherently woven into the fabric of society, so gullibility might be as a result of still believing the best of people. Yet in our own daily lives, we do come across, good looking, suave, soft speaken and charming men ACTORS to the core….yet wolves in sheep’s clothing. Lord have mercy on us IF WE, SMART AS WE BELIEVE WE ARE STILL FALL PREY TO their antics !
Why do you guys think Paula’s meeting with him? She wants her 10% cut. All she has to do is give them Bermuda’s bank details.
Ohhh wait … there’s nothing left in that account.
I mean this guy DeSilva is everywhere. Miami, Bermuda, New York…..on our dime…..Guess he’ll get a contract for mining gold or diamonds from Nigeria…….
Who’s running the country……Randy?
Paula,
there is a battle in Bermuda a battle to keep the PLP in power and reconnect with our PLP voters who have lost interest in the Party and you are wasting time on networking with West Africans so they can do deals together that wont benefit Bermuda?
please go and read the definition of Politically Exposed Person again.
Come on now, focus Paula, we have an election to win Ace Girl.
Paula knows that no matter what you say you will vote PLP. She is not worried about loosing the general election. She has the heart of her people, and the people are getting scammed. See ya sucker!!!!
Please get back here leave that man alone another photo up ,where Rolfe carrying your bags??can’t wait til the election to rid ourself of the PLP!
This is an important financial link! Well done Paula! We could use their input soon to know how to build thatched huts with palmetto leaves and dung!
Ursula, have a dark and stormy….get off the koolaide gurl………..
PLP ain’t going no-vur………………
Terry something wrong with you…get all those white boys back in power ,Gibbons Triminghams,Goslings mainly Goslings my rum would be cheaper! now leave me alone its happy hour…..cheers to you..
What does Nigeria have to offer besides wonderful opportunities for us to get rich because some doctor died and left us in his will and their lawyer needs $25K wired ASAP so we can get our $35 Million dollars?
“….Nigeria is still ranked as one of the most corrupt countries on earth. U.S. citizens lose approximately $2 billion ($2,000 million) a year to Nigerian fraud — be it credit card fraud, insurance fraud, or 419 scam letters, or counterfeiting,” which totals about “two and one-half times the value of our total U.S. exports to Nigeria.”"
― Nov. ’99, Robert L. Mallet, Deputy Secretary of Commerce (source
That could explain where our 2 billion went
Paula Cox has really lost the plot, she should resign
a cute innocent smile wore off years ago…….the successful black woman who has made it in international business in Bermuda routine is so blase’.we need action Paula…………you have never been an action person. passive yes active never….and spent most of ur time as the acting premier when the premier was off conducting business for the people………….what has the premeir done for us the whole time she has been a politician?
@ Wondering. Paula and the bellhop have done nothing and are a disgrace.
We need a Leader
The Cog reminds me of a little school girl who was painfully shy and still is. Not surprising that she would make the now infamous “Cog” statement.
You guys dont have a clue what doing business with the most populous black nation in the world offers you. If you could only get a mind-share of a fraction of the 165million Nigerians who look for tourist locations to visit every year, you could generate a whole lot of revenue from your robust tourism industry.
True, Nigeria just like every country rich in resources has had its share of corruption and bad governance occasioned by several years of military interventions in the country, but things are a lot better now, Nigerians are fixing Nigeria.
Bermudians should look beyond the negative image the west portrays of states like Nigeria, and the bad behavior of very few Nigerians, and explore concrete ways of forging mutually beneficial partnerships between both states.
Give the Premier a chance.
Well, this is a good opportunity for foreigners to invest and the premier to convince those said foreigners to invest. It’s a give and take system and we to be extremely cautious in handling this matter.