The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said that “a complete visionary plan” must be developed so that the Grand Lucayan resort and tourism can be successful on Grand Bahama.

He indicated a new airport, along with other important components such as airlift and attractions, must be in place for the success of the hotel property after it is sold.

Mr Davis also noted investor confidence has waned on Grand Bahama, causing a stall in investments for the island.

Yesterday, Mr Davis travelled to the island where he toured parts of Freeport. During a press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister, along with Minister of Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey, he gave an update on the Grand Lucayan, which is back on the market for sale.

He said: “The update I have is that there have been a number of expressions of interest that (are) under consideration by the Minister of Tourism and Investments to which they will make a recommendation to us.

 “But for me, the real issue is not just the Grand Lucayan; it is no sense of us putting it in the hands of someone, and then the other components for a successful community are not there.

“For example, to have a successful project at Grand Lucayan, airlifts are important; we have to look at the airport and see how we can get the airport back on stream in a way to complement and ensure it feeds into the Grand Lucayan hotel,” he said.

 He also said: “We also have to assure persons who are coming as well, apart from airlifts, we have to also have what I call other attractions for the guests.

 “And there has to be what I call a complete visionary plan if we are going to continue to promote Grand Bahama as a touristic destination.

 “We will have to put that plan together which will include us not just having the Grand Lucayan hotel, but any other projects such as that.”

 The Davis administration cancelled the sale of the hotel to Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCL) and ITM Group in December, citing it as a deal that was not in the best interest of Bahamians.

 The Prime Minister said his government is looking at a number of factors to determine the direction for Grand Bahama.

 “We have to decide what kind of tourism you want, whether it will be golf-driven because there are a number of golf courses here on Grand Bahama, or casino-driven or whether it is just going to be a tech hub and hotels are going to be what I call business hotels.

 “But we are now looking at all those possibilities and projects,” Mr Davis said. “We want to have partners in Grand Bahama who have a vision and who are prepared to put their money where their mouth is to ensure it becomes a reality.”

 The Prime Minister said that he is tired of talk when it comes to Grand Bahama.

 “The time for talk as to the way Grand Bahama is going is over for me; I need, we need action,” he said. “I know Grand Bahama having lived here myself in the early 70s, and time has come for Grand Bahama to truly live up to its true potential.

 “And it is not going to happen when people are just talking about it. It has to happen with someone who is willing to do something about it.”

 Mr Davis believes that part of the problem has been the lack of investor confidence on Grand Bahama.

 “I think part of the challenge you have and that is why I say talk is cheap. The challenge has been that investors’ confidence has waned over the many years. And we have been in our movements seeking to restore that confidence.”

 Despite growing investor confidence in The Bahamas, Mr Davis said many investors do not have a desire to invest in Grand Bahama.

 “I can say investor confidence in The Bahamas is rising exponentially. There are really interests in The Bahamas today; it has really grown and continues to grow.

 “But for Grand Bahama there is always this question mark, and why is that question mark? “And they are willing to invest in The Bahamas, and when asked if they wish to come to Grand Bahama, there is always some reluctance on their part.”

 During his recent trip to Dubai, Mr Davis learned that an investor was turned off from investing in Grand Bahama.

 “I had a conversation in Dubai with a person who came to Grand Bahama and looked at the projects, and their desire to invest just waned because…something that did not connect for them.

 “Hopefully, I have been talking with them, and they might find that something that will cause them to reconnect and revisit their vision and desire to invest here. But again, we are working on how we can restore fully the confidence in investors to invest in Grand Bahama.”

 He is optimistic that Grand Bahama is ideally suited for a mixed economy in the contexts of tourism, agriculture, and industrial.

 “I think it could co-exist together - you just need someone with a vision, the wherewithal, and leadership to make it happen. So, I would not just put my eggs in one basket and say let us make it a totally tourism destination or make it an industrial park, or tech hub for example.”

 He added that the latter is one of the industries his administration is looking at expanding in Grand Bahama because of the emerging markets of technology. The Minnis administration also expressed a desire to make the island a tech hub.

 “And there are persons in that industry who are looking for space to exploit in that industry. So, I am just not looking to any one market for Grand Bahama,” Mr Davis said.