The Bahamas is positioning itself as a leading destination for globally mobile individuals, families, family offices and investors seeking a jurisdiction where they can live, work, invest and enjoy their wealth, Minister of Economic Affairs Senator the Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald said as he addressed the New York Outbound Summit USA at the Hilton Hotel in Midtown New York City, September 25, 2026.
Minister Fitzgerald said The Bahamas’ presence at the event sent a clear message that the Caribbean is “open for business, open for investment, and ready to compete on the global stage.”
Minister Fitzgerald, whose portfolio covers Financial Services, Investments, Trade and Industry, joined Caribbean colleagues, including the Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis of St. Kitts and Nevis, and the Hon. Lorna Smith, Minister of Financial Services in the Government of the British Virgin Islands.
He thanked the Outbound Investment Group for creating a platform for discussions on the future of global wealth, investment and financial services.
“I believe our region has a value proposition that has not yet been fully realized,” Minister Fitzgerald said.
He noted that the world of wealth is changing, with high-net-worth individuals, successful entrepreneurs, family offices and institutional investors increasingly asking broader questions about where they should hold their assets, establish their family offices, spend part of the year, raise their families and invest with confidence.
“Increasingly, these decisions are not being made around a single jurisdiction,” he said. “Just as sophisticated investors diversify their portfolios, globally mobile families are diversifying where they live, work, invest and enjoy their wealth.”
Minister Fitzgerald said that as these conversations take place, “we believe The Bahamas should be part of the conversation.”
A Strong Financial Services Foundation
Highlighting The Bahamas’ established position as an international financial services centre, Minister Fitzgerald pointed to the country’s common-law legal system, political and governmental stability, sophisticated professional services and expertise in banking, trusts, fiduciary services, insurance, investment management and wealth management.
“Few jurisdictions of our size have built the international financial services reputation that The Bahamas has earned over decades,” he said. “That reputation matters.”
He noted that some of the world’s most successful families, investors and corporations already have significant interests and operations in The Bahamas.
The country’s tax environment also remains highly competitive, with no personal income tax, general corporate income tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, gift tax or wealth tax.
However, Minister Fitzgerald stressed that the Bahamas value proposition extends beyond taxation.
“But let me be clear: our value proposition is about much more than tax,” he said. “Because for today’s globally mobile family, certainty is just as valuable as tax efficiency.”
He said investors want to know the rules, have confidence that processes will work, receive responsive government services and have access to world-class professional services.
“They want confidence that when they make a long-term decision, the jurisdiction they choose will be there for the long term,” he said.
Upcoming Tax Residency Certificate
Minister Fitzgerald also highlighted the upcoming Tax Residency Certificate, noting that under the framework being advanced, qualifying residents who spend at least 90 days in The Bahamas during a calendar year will be eligible to apply, with those days not required to be consecutive.
“That is important because we understand how internationally mobile families actually live,” he said.
He explained that internationally mobile families may have businesses in one jurisdiction, investments in another, homes in several countries and families travelling across the globe.
“What they want is a clear, credible and documented connection to the jurisdiction they choose as their tax base,” Minister Fitzgerald said. “We want The Bahamas to be that jurisdiction.”
Bahamas Invest Concierge Unit to Support Investors
The Minister also outlined the Government’s approach to investment and permanent residency through the Bahamas Invest Concierge Unit, which is being designed to provide centralized and coordinated support across the investment and residency process.
“If you are serious about investing in The Bahamas, we want to make it easier for you to do so,” he said.
Minister Fitzgerald noted that there is more than one route to economic permanent residency in The Bahamas. Depending on the applicable requirements and the route selected, an investor may qualify through real estate or through a government bond investment of one million dollars.
For qualifying high-value investors, the Bahamas Invest Concierge Unit is being designed to provide centralized, coordinated support throughout the investment and residency process.
“Our ambition is not simply to create another government office,” Minister Fitzgerald said. “Our ambition is to create a better investor experience.”
He said the Government wants the process to be straightforward, responsive and efficient, while ensuring investors feel that when they arrive in The Bahamas, they have a government ready to welcome them and help them navigate the process.
Attracting Family Offices and Creating Economic Substance
The same approach, Minister Fitzgerald said, extends to family offices.
“We intend to treat the establishment of a substantial family office in The Bahamas as what it truly is: a high-value foreign direct investment and an opportunity to create lasting economic substance,” he said.
Through the Bahamas Invest Concierge Unit, a qualifying family office will be able to engage with government through a coordinated and transparent framework addressing immigration, tax and business-licensing considerations and necessary approvals.
Minister Fitzgerald stressed that the objective is not simply to attract a name or an address, but to create genuine economic substance.
“We want families to make their decisions in The Bahamas,” he said. “We want them to employ Bahamians.”
He added that the Government wants family offices to use Bahamian lawyers, accountants, trust companies, financial advisers and other professional services and to establish genuine connections to the Bahamian economy.
“And ultimately, we want The Bahamas to become more than the place where they hold an asset,” he said. “We want it to become the place they call home.”
Live, Work, Play and Invest in The Bahamas
Minister Fitzgerald said The Bahamas’ proposition goes beyond investment and financial structures, emphasizing the combination of lifestyle, location, investment opportunities and community.
“Our proposition is not simply to invest in The Bahamas,” he said. “It is: Live in The Bahamas. Work in The Bahamas. Play in The Bahamas. Invest in The Bahamas.”
He highlighted the country’s proximity to major financial centres in the United States, while offering access to its natural environment, financial services and professional expertise.
“Imagine establishing your family office, making significant investments, building a home, raising your family and enjoying an extraordinary quality of life, all within the same jurisdiction,” he said.
“That is the Bahamas proposition,” Minister Fitzgerald said. “It is not just about a financial structure. It is about a lifestyle, a location, an investment environment and a community.”
Invitation to Investors
Minister Fitzgerald extended an invitation to participants at the New York Outbound Summit to explore the opportunities available in The Bahamas.
“Come and discover The Bahamas,” he said. “Come and speak with us. Come and explore our investment opportunities. Come and meet our financial services professionals. Come and see what it means to live, work, play and invest in our islands.”
He encouraged conference participants to visit the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ exhibit booth, where the Ministry’s team is available to provide information on the country’s financial services sector, investment opportunities, residency offerings and solutions available to internationally mobile individuals, families and businesses.
The Ministry was also joined at the summit by stakeholder Champion Spirit Country Club, which Minister Fitzgerald described as “one of our investment success stories” and a tangible example of the Bahamas proposition in practice.
He said the presence of Champion Spirit provides prospective investors with an opportunity to hear directly about the possibilities available to those considering making The Bahamas their home and experiencing what it means to live and play in the country.
“Because for us, this is not simply about attracting capital,” Minister Fitzgerald said. “It is about attracting people, ideas, businesses, families and long-term partnerships.”
He concluded: “The Bahamas is ready. We are open for business. We are open for investment. And we are ready to welcome you home.”
