By JUAN McCARTNEY, NG Senior Reporter, juan@nasguard.com

Fort Charlotte Member of Parliament Alfred Sears described Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham's recent comments regarding the government's willingness to buy the Grand Bahama Port Authority, should the feuding principal owners fail to reach a settlement in the near future, as "reckless."

"Loose lips sink ships," said Sears on Thursday in his contribution to the 2008-09 budget debate in the House of Assembly.

Sears charged that the prime minister violated House of Assembly rule 30 (20), regarding members making comment on matters which are before the courts.

He said Ingraham's comments amounted to political interference.

"As he did in the case with Baha Mar, the honorable member is being reckless with the welfare of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas," Sears said.

The Fort Charlotte MP said he was not sure that the prime minister considered the effect of his words before he said them.

"Has the member for North Abaco taken into account the damaging effect such reckless threats of expropriation would have on foreign investors in The Bahamas and in attracting more foreign direct investment into The Bahamas?" he asked.

Sears called on the prime minister to detail any political contributions that the Grand Bahama Port Authority and any of its subsidiaries may have made to the Free National Movement leading up to and since the last general election.

Sears added he would gladly disclose who contributed to his most recent political campaign

Sir Jack Hayward and the family of the late Edward St. George have been embroiled in a protracted legal battle over GBPA shares.

The St. George family maintains that they and Sir Jack are equally 50 percent owners of the Port. Sir Jack maintains that he is a 75 percent owner of the GBPA.

The battle has been playing out in the country's court system for nearly two years.

Last week Wednesday, Prime Minister Ingraham said the continued dispute between the GBPA principals was demoralizing the business climate in Freeport and around Grand Bahama.

The prime minister also said he had indicated to Sir Jack that the government could not wait for indefinite periods of time for the principals to resolve their issues.