Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Ginger Moxey addressed concerns about the proposed Afro-Caribbean Marketplace to be constructed on the site of the International Bazaar in the House Of Assembly on Wednesday. Moxey was responding to statements made by the Member Of Parliament for East Grand Bahama, the Hon. Kwasi Thompson.

During his contribution on the 2024-2025 mid-year budget Thompson questioned whether a feasibility study had been done for the project. He said, “officials at the GBPA (Grand Bahama Port Authority) says they don’t believe one exists.”

In response Moxey pointed out that the government signed a project preparation facility with the African Export Import Bank in June 2024 which includes a feasibility study. She also gave an update on the construction project saying, “right now the issue is the acquisition of the land which the Port Authority is holding up on because since 2006 the Bazaar owners owe the Port Authority for some maintenance charges.”

The Minister added, “the Port Authority indicated that they were prepared to write that off so that development can happen. So actually this has nothing to do with the government it has everything to do with the Port Authority who is right now holding on because of other matters but at the end of the day this will be done because the government is now working on this $1.5 million that they say is owed.”

According to the minister the government is working to fix a problem that no other government or the Port Authority has fixed.