The Tribune

By Denise Maycock

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

CARNIVAL Corporation has started initial land clearing work at East Grand Bahama in preparation of conducting an environmental impact assessment study for construction of its proposed $100m cruise port on Grand Bahama.

David Candib, vice president of development and operations of Global Ports and Destination Development Group, told The Tribune that the land clearing is to provide access to the site as part of an EIA.

The cruise company is leasing more than 300 acres of land in an area known as Sharp Rock in East Grand Bahama from the Grand Bahama Development Company/Grand Bahama Port Authority.

The area is known as an eco-sensitive zone, and the company promised that it would preserve 110 acres as a natural wetland.

The port will be the largest cruise port built by Carnival in the world, and would be able to accommodate two of their largest ships at the same time.

On Monday, The Tribune learned that work was underway at the site, and that several heavy equipment vehicles operated by City Services had been contracted to clear the land.

Efforts to contact officials at the Grand Bahama Port Authority concerning required approved permits proved fruitless up to press time.  

Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson was also contacted for an update concerning the EIA for Carnival, but he did not return Tribune calls up to press time.

Meanwhile, Mr Candib said that Carnival is continuing to work with government agencies and the GBPA for a timeline in submitting what is required for an EIA, in hopes of securing permits later for construction.

“This is the initial work of clearing land to access the site as part of the EIA. This is not for the issue of formal building permits,” he said.

Carnival’s proposed port is expected to built by October 2020, and would be able to accommodate two 6,000 passenger cruise ships, with a crew of 2,000 at the same time. The project is expected to revitalise the island’s tourism sector bringing 1 million passengers annually, and create about 1,000 jobs, and a myriad of entrepreneurial opportunities for Bahamians.

Mr Candib said project officials plan to return to Grand Bahama to host another information meeting to share with the public further opportunities that would be available to Bahamians.

He said they held a meeting in Grand Bahama previously and shared opportunities for design and food and beverage sectors.

“We will be coming back over the next month or two for another information meeting with opportunities for Bahamians,” he said.