The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said that the Office of the Prime Minister would soon launch an apiary entrepreneur programme, and put at least 20 persons in business on Grand Bahama.

An apiary is a place where bees are kept.

Dr Minnis was in Freeport on Friday. It was his first day in office at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in Grand Bahama. He said the first mandate of the office is the economic revitalisation of Grand Bahama.

He noted that the Office of the Prime Minister is actively engaged in the establishment of a Grand Bahama Investment Unit, a one stop shop for investors to improve the ease of doing business.

“Ultimately, this unit will be the place for Grand Bahama’s specific application processing. This will mean a faster turnaround in investment applications, thus putting persons to work sooner,” he said.

The prime minister also discussed the establishment of the Grand Bahama Promotions Board to drive Foreign Direct Investments to Grand Bahama, creating greater opportunities.

He noted that that the OPM will soon host the Grand Bahama Tech Summit with leading local and international technology companies to expose entrepreneurs to the global market.

“Grand Bahama will be on the way to becoming a tech hub of the Bahamas,” he added.

The prime minister said the tech sector has a great opportunity for advancement and offers high-end salaries.

When asked about investments outside of Freeport, Dr Minnis indicated that his government is in discussions with a particular investment group concerning West End.

“We made a commitment not to talk about the project as it is an ongoing process, but as we continue to advance I am sure you will hear more about it,” he said.

“With respect to the entire Grand Bahama, we will utilise all its resources available, and that is with respect to eco-tourism, we (will) push that further.”