The Tribune

THE reopening of the Reef Village hotel in Grand Bahama was a project that the FNM worked hard to see achieved, Senator Kwasi Thompson said.

In a statement issued yesterday, Mr Thompson said creating the conditions for the relaunch of the property, part of the Grand Lucayan Resort, was a component of the former government’s overall plan to boost tourism on the island.

He said: “The Free National Movement is pleased to learn that one of the initiatives that it had planned for Grand Bahama prior to May 7, 2012 is coming to fruition.

“In its years in office up to the 2012 elections, the FNM administration gave much needed government assistance to Vision Airlines, Discovery Cruise line and worked to bring the Bahamas Celebration cruise ship to the Freeport Harbour, which today continues to benefit Grand Bahama.

“After successfully concluding negotiations and paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep the casino at the Grand Lucayan Resort open saving the jobs of over 200 Grand Bahamian casino workers, the FNM administration was in advanced discussions with globally branded hotel and casino operators to reopen sections of the Grand Lucayan Resort complex including the Reef Village and the Lighthouse Point.

“Indeed, the FNM administration’s support for additional airlift to Grand Bahama was predicated on the Grand Lucayan’s commitment to reopen the Reef Village either directly or by lease during the first half of 2012. We believed that the reopening of the property could create some 200 new jobs.

“It now appears that such a plan is coming to fruition and the FNM is happy on behalf of all Bahamians to support fully this effort.”

However, Senator Thompson also urged the government to fully protect the interests of Bahamian workers and ensure that they are not employed as casual workers but rather on a permanent basis.

This, he said, would ensure that the employees enjoy the same pay rights and protection as existing employees.

Mr Thompson said: “Regrettably one hundred days since the 2012 election of the PLP to office, many Grand Bahamians are in a state of despair.

“Unfortunately, rather than reducing the unemployment rate the PLP appears to be causing it to rise as they have selectively put many Bahamians who previously worked for Urban Renewal and other public sector areas out of work.

“Although Grand Bahamians welcome the new ministry, which appears from its public relations to be busy, they are disappointed that the Ministry of Grand Bahama has not been more effective in improving the state of unemployment or in providing a plan to reduce the cost of electricity in Grand Bahama as promised.

“In fact the PLP has recently back-tracked on another promise, stating that the cost of electricity is based on the cost of oil which it is unable to control.

“We urge the PLP to focus on the effective regulation of the power company. The FNM had a real plan to regulate the Grand Bahama Power Company with URCA as regulator to bring much needed relief for the consumer.

“Further, the focus of this government should be on effectively marketing Grand Bahama as an investment destination as planned by the FNM through a Grand Bahama Investment Board.”

In the meantime, Mr Thompson said, National Job and Skills Readiness participants are left with an uncertain future and programmes like the Jump Start Programme and the planned expansion of the Rand Memorial Hospital, left in place by the former FNM administration, have either stalled or been cancelled.

“The FNM is however relieved to learn that even though the PLP government has been busy abandoning, reversing or cancelling any number of initiatives put in place by the FNM for the benefit of Bahamians, the PLP has continued with this FNM initiative to reopen the Reef Village. Perhaps the PLP has learned from its painful mistakes with the still languishing closed Royal Oasis Resort and Casino,” Senator Thompson said.

“The FNM expresses the hope with this initiative that Grand Lucaya Resort will enjoy the kind of success that will bring greater economic success to its owners and operators and more opportunity and new jobs to the good people of Grand Bahama.”