The Tribune

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis met with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and a small delegation during a courtesy call at the Office of the Prime Minister on West Bay Street yesterday.

Mr Holness and officials from Jamaica were in New Providence for the grand reopening of Sandals Royal Bahamian resort.

As they exchanged brief remarks, Mr Davis noted the hotel’s reopening not only provided jobs for Bahamians, but was a testament to the resilience of the tourism industry, which, he said, can also be volatile.

For his part, Mr Holness said he thought it important to celebrate the hotel reopening its doors as the pandemic had dealt a serious blow to tourism economies the world over.

“I must say I am very pleased with the reception that we received,” he said. “It reinforces that we are brothers and sisters.

“We are just a hop, skip and a jump away and you know, we need to visit each other more often and I am very happy to be here because, as you have said, tourism has taken a serious hit in the pandemic, but we are seeing confidence in our local tourist investors and in the international tourism community to continue to invest.

“I want to congratulate Sandals and indeed today (Thursday) is the birthday of Adam Stuart, the chairman. So, I take the opportunity to wish him publicly a Happy Birthday.

“It is significant that he’s reopening the refurbished hotel on his birthday, but it is a real sign of confidence in the tourism sector generally, in the Bahamian economy in particular, and for the region. It speaks well for the region. So, we are very happy.”

Other Bahamian officials attending were Education, Technical and Vocational Training Minister Glenys Hanna Martin, Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears, and Minister of Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey.