The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Family Island Chamber of Commerce heads are arguing that infrastructure and communications development concerns are a major obstacle hindering their islands’ economic development.

Speaking at an Economic Recovery Committee (ERC) Town Hall meeting yesterday, Gregory Laroda, the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce president, said of his island: “There is the situation with the hospital. I know it is undergoing a lot of repairs as it is now, and it’s being said that those repairs would be completed next month. Obviously we need to see whatever can be done to fast track those repairs.”

Mr Laroda said the Rand Memorial Hospital was in a similar situation as the Grand Bahama International Airport, where repairs would be a “short-term solution”, Longer-term, the island needed the construction of a new hospital.

He added: “Again, this would help in the recovery in terms of having an up-to-standard medical facility for persons who want to have second homes, or to just invest in the island, to know that if something happens, some emergency or some regular ailment, that they have a facility that they can have confidence in that would be able to assist them.”

Mr Laroda also called for a reduction in the cost of electricity, and said recommendations being sent to the government on introducing renewable energy.

Thomas Sands, the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce president, said: “The reality that we all face in these Family Islands revolves around our infrastructure. Currently, the infrastructure has been in poor condition going back a number of years.

“Yes, there have been improvements in particular areas with some investment in one location or the other, but it really comes down to how we look for foreign direct investment or even Bahamian investment. The challenge is that the infrastructure generally is inconsistent and it generally is not up to world standard.”

Mr Sands said there was a need to improve airlift and concessions for Bahamians at the airports. There also needed to be greater investment in the roads because it “negatively impacts” economic expansion, since it increases the cost for rental cars. Many subdivisions have remained stagnant as a result of the poor roads.

Mr Sands added: “Improving communications. This is a major one. We have seen investments in, over the last years, of BTC and Cable Bahamas improving infrastructure, but the challenge is in most instances this infrastructure is focused on immediate sectors where there is large concentration. The challenge is, as we talk about communications, and the need for everyone to have access to high speed internet and fibre to do what they are doing today.”

Ramona Ritchie-Taylor, executive director of the Long Island Chamber of Commerce, said a modern international airport will help boost tourism as well as create a “hub” for the other southern islands.

She added: “We have both of the telecoms providers here, and I may be mashing on people’s toes, but I worked for BTC for 25 years and I do not appreciate the level of service I am getting these days and I hate it when I’m on a call and the call drops and I can’t get it back on. We have been having too much of that lately and I don’t know if it is because of a lack of maintenance of what we have, or upgrades in what we need.”

Mr Ritchie-Taylor said the private sector must come forward with “competing solutions” that will support the economic expansion and educational opportunities on the southern islands. Cable Bahamas and BTC, she added, should be accessible to all residents as high speed Internet is a requirement for schools, banks, government offices and businesses.