The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune. 

IN response to Mrs Sherah George’s comments highlighting the positive contributions made by the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, I believe it is time that we look beyond what the GBPA claims to have accomplished and ask a much more important question: What have ordinary Grand Bahamians actually gained from this agreement?

Nobody is suggesting that the GBPA has done absolutely nothing for Grand Bahama. However, recognizing past contributions does not mean we should ignore the responsibilities and commitments that came with the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. 

The agreement was intended to create economic opportunities, attract investment, generate employment and improve the lives of the people of Grand Bahama. But after all these years, we must ask ourselves whether those objectives have truly been achieved for the average Grand Bahamian. 

Where are the sustainable employment opportunities that would allow our young people to build careers and raise their families at home instead of being forced to travel abroad in search of a better living? 

Where is the fully functioning hospital and the healthcare infrastructure that Grand Bahamians deserve? 

Why is our international airport still not restored to the standard needed to support the economic development and tourism industry of this island? 

Where is the consistent flow of new investment that creates meaningful employment and allows local businesses and Bahamian entrepreneurs to prosper? 

These are not unreasonable questions. They are questions that deserve honest answers. 

If the GBPA is serious about helping Grand Bahamians, then it must do more than talk about what it has done in the past. It must make provisions that allow the people of this island to share directly in the economic benefits generated by the businesses operating here. 

Consider the cost of living. Grand Bahamians are struggling with high electricity bills, expensive fuel and the rising cost of basic necessities. If FOCOL is indeed owned through a GBPA-affiliated company, as has been alleged, then the relationship and the benefits to Grand Bahamians deserve full transparency. Why should the people of Grand Bahama continue paying such high prices for essential services? 

I believe the GBPA should seriously consider the following: 

1. Employment: Establish clear employment targets and give qualified Bahamians priority for jobs created by businesses operating on Grand Bahama. 

 2. Healthcare: Work with the Government to ensure Grand Bahama has a properly equipped and adequately supported hospital. 

3. Airport: Take meaningful responsibility and work with the Government to restore the airport and support the infrastructure necessary for economic growth. 

4. Utilities and fuel: Work towards affordable electricity and fuel prices so that residents are not continually burdened by excessive living costs. 

5. VAT relief: Advocate for a 60% VAT concession or rebate for Grand Bahamian residents, subject to an agreed and transparent arrangement with the Government. 

6. Annual economic returns: Establish a transparent Grand Bahama community-benefit programme through which every qualifying head of household receives an annual financial return from the economic activities of the GBPA and participating businesses operating on the island.

Let me make something clear: Grand Bahamians should not have to beg to benefit from the economic development of their own island. 

The GBPA has enjoyed the privileges and opportunities associated with the Hawksbill Creek Agreement for generations. It is only reasonable that the people whose island and resources helped make those opportunities possible should also enjoy meaningful benefits. 

Furthermore, any major corporation seeking to establish or expand operations on Grand Bahama should be required, through appropriate agreements with the Government, to demonstrate how its investment will benefit Bahamians through employment, training, local procurement, business opportunities and community development. 

We cannot continue celebrating multimillion-dollar investments while ordinary families struggle to pay their bills. We cannot continue hearing about economic development when our young people are leaving home because they cannot find suitable employment. We cannot continue accepting promises while essential infrastructure remains inadequate. 

The Hawksbill Creek Agreement should not simply be remembered for what it did for Freeport or the GBPA. It must also be judged by what it has done for the people of Grand Bahama. 

 Mrs St George, with all due respect, listing the positive things the GBPA has done is only one side of the story. The other side is the thousands of Grand Bahamians who are still waiting to experience the prosperity that this agreement was supposed to help create. 

Our people deserve more than historical achievements and promise of a brighter future. They deserve affordable living, decent employment, quality healthcare, a functioning airport and a fair share of the wealth generated on their island. 

Grand Bahama belongs to its people, and its economic future must include its people. 

It is time for the GBPA to move beyond explaining what it has done and demonstrate what it is prepared to do for the people of Grand Bahama today. 

ZENDALL U ROBERTS

A Concerned 

Grand Bahamian 

November 3, 2026.