The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE president of the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce has warned that more businesses at Port Lucaya Marketplace could close unless plans to redevelop its marina get back on track, after Agave Restaurant temporarily shut its doors, affecting some 40 workers.

"The traffic through businesses at Port Lucaya has been on life support for a while," Ralph Hepburn said yesterday.

Mr Hepburn said one of Agave's owners told him the recent closure is not permanent and that the Caribbean-Latin restaurant has shut to carry out renovations during the current slow and difficult period.

The Tribune contacted Agave co-owner Nick Vitakos, who directed questions to fellow owner Noel Clarke, but calls to Mr Clarke went unanswered. Labour officials are aware of the closure and said they have been speaking with the owners.

Merchants and straw vendors at Port Lucaya have seen visitor traffic decline since the closure of the Grand Lucayan Resort, and the opening of Carnival's Celebration Key has yet to bring the foot traffic many local businesses had hoped for.

Although Grand Bahama's cruise passenger numbers have increased significantly, Mr Hepburn said only a small share of the passengers who pass through Celebration Key venture beyond the cruise facility.

"Out of the 7,000 passengers that flow through there, less than 1,000 basically leave there," he said.

As a result, he said, the wider Grand Bahama business community is not benefiting from the increase in cruise traffic as much as expected.

Mr Hepburn said Freeport Harbour has also not been receiving ships regularly, because Carnival was one of its main cruise lines.

"With Carnival gone, they depend now basically on MSC and Royal Caribbean, which is not consistent," he said.

With so few visitors, Mr Hepburn said Port Lucaya businesses have increasingly been forced to rely on local customers to survive.

"But the local market is dependent on revenue and income from the tourism market, which basically has also been on life support," he said.

He said Grand Bahama's tourism problems are made worse by limited airlift and an inadequate number of hotel rooms, particularly during the traditionally slower months of September and October.