The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce's president yesterday said the recent political back and forth over the Grand Bahama Port Authority's (GBPA) ownership and future is not helping Freeport.

James Carey told Tribune Business that the public battle between former Pineridge MP, Frederick McAlpine, and foreign minister and PLP chairman, Fred Mitchell, over whether the Government should seek to acquire Freeport's quasi-governmental authority and buy-out the Hayward and St George families is “not needed”.

And, while it is “time to review” the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, Mr Carey does “not believe the GBPA should be divested from what it’s doing". He said: “While the GBPA has actioned a few things to be done, especially with the bye-laws, it needs government intervention to do it.”

The Hawksbill Creek Agreement first established Freeport and its free trade zone in 1955, but “the world has changed tremendously and it needs to be reviewed to either confirm it or to tweak it in keeping with the time".

Mr Carey added: “I think some of the requirements of the GBPA in the Hawksbill Creek Agreement perhaps need some reinforcement on their responsibilities in the Port area, and there is no denying that more things need to happen in this town. There is no denying that.

“I think the power of legislation can help that, but I think the GBPA itself in its current position can carry out the mandate with some tweaking and perhaps with some involvement from the Government participating with the GBPA.”

Mr Mitchell last week said the Davis administration will “not play footsie with the GBPA”, and the Government is growing increasingly “impatient” with what it views as the failure by the St George and Hayward families to live up to their development obligations.

“Obviously, he (Fred Mitchell) is talking about the development of Freeport and I think this can come about with the persons sitting around at the table and contributing to the process," Mr Carey added. “As president of the Chamber I suggested on a couple of occasions for the Prime Minister to talk to the business community and the community at large about what’s happening in Grand Bahama, and also mapping out a way forward together.

“While there is some change that is needed for Freeport, I don’t believe the GBPA should be stripped down and restarted. We do need something to happen, but I think it has to be more of a collaborative effort.”

The GBPA is acting based on the agreement it has with the Government to operate like a municipality, but the major difference is that a government with elected officials in a municipality can be voted out or changed. This is not the case with the ownership of the GBPA because it operates as a private for-profit company first. “Perhaps more involvement and transparency will go a long way in aiding this process," Mr Carey said.