The Tribune

By DANA SMITH dsmith@tribunemedia.net PLP leader Perry Christie said he will cut Grand Bahama airport and hotel taxes in half in an effort to boost the island's tourism industry should his party win the up-coming general elections. Speaking at a rally in West End, Grand Bahama last Friday, Mr Christie said the tax cuts will come as part of the PLP's Project Grand Bahama. The initiative will "put Bahamians first" by enforcing existing protections for Bahamian workers, increasing work permit fees for foreigners, and moving "aggressively" to fill job vacancies. "As for tourism, we need to make Grand Bahama more competitive," Mr Christie said. "We will cut government taxes at the airport and harbour in half, and cut hotel taxes by 50 per cent for a period of five years for existing hotels and 10 years for new hotels." The PLP will also ensure that duty free concessions are extended to east and west Grand Bahama, he said. "We will encourage and support Bahamians who want to build and own bed-and-breakfast guesthouses, boutique hotels, and small resorts - with affordable start-up capital, affordable land, technical support, marketing expertise." Former tourism minister and West Grand Bahama incumbent Obie Wilchcombe "has been a valued member" of the PLP, Mr Christie told constituents. "In tourism in 2004, we hit the five-million mark in arrivals for the first time in history. We also hit the $2 billion mark in tourism revenue for the first time in 2004 and sustained it in 2005 and 2006. We can achieve big things again," he said. "We were able to attract Jet Blue, Spirit, and Virgin Atlantic to the Bahamas, thereby increasing airlift. Airlift was also dramatically increased to the Family Islands. "West Grand Bahama, we did it before, and I assure you, that we will do it again." Creating a Ministry for Grand Bahama to "ensure" the island's development, expanding BTVI's presence on the island, and developing new public-private partnerships to establish technology centres for education and training are also planned by the PLP. Mr Christie also said that given "the importance of the listed initiatives" and the "critical role" of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, the GBPA should not appoint a new chairman until after the election. "I respectfully ask that the GBPA defer the appointment of a new executive chairman until after the general elections," he said. "Hubert Ingraham squandered his five-year mandate and it is unseemly for him to approve a new chairman on the eve of a general election."