Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Ginger Moxey expressed excitement over Grand Bahama’s future prospects while addressing the final session of Diplomatic Week 2024 at the Grand Lucayan resort.
Minister Moxey was among a panelist of speakers on “Revitalizing Grand Bahama through Global Partnerships” and she echoed the government’s message that with over $2 billion of investments underway on the island and over six million visitors expected by 2027, it’s time for Bahamians to come back home.
“I see Grand Bahama truly thriving over the next five years,” she said, listing the number of projects underway, among them Celebration Key, Royal Caribbean, ITM/MSC Cruise Port terminal and the Freeport Health Clinic.
The minister for Grand Bahama also spoke of future prospects on the drawing board for Grand Bahama, including the revitalization of the Bahamas Princess properties, inclusive of the Casino and Tower and the International Bazaar.
“The Government has signed a Project Preparation Facility with Afrexim Bank for the development of an Afro-Caribbean marketplace. So we plan to demolish the structures, in collaboration with the Port Authority who is going to help us to write-off some of those fees, and develop this marketplace that will have pavilions from 54 African countries, 20 Caribbean countries and 16 islands of The Bahamas,” she said.
Minister Moxey pointed out that it will also provide an opportunity for participating countries to showcase the best they have to offer, while having a promotional arm in the region, along with a foreign affairs presence.
“It is going to allow us to have this tourist attraction that could cater to the over six million visitors that we will have on Grand Bahama Island by 2027,” she said, adding that what is most vital is logistics.
“We’ve talked about it often, we do have a major transshipment terminal, we are 20 minutes from Florida and we are going to now be the gateway to the Caribbean for trade where products come from Africa to our transshipment terminal here for redistribution to South America, Latin America and the other Caribbean countries.”
Minister Moxey noted that the project will revitalize an area of Grand Bahama that has been devastated by hurricanes and other catastrophic events.
“I believe that it’s going to be revolutionary because again, it brings our culture and creative industries together and it also provides the opportunity for our people to be able to thrive, those who are in the creative space,” the minister said.
Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce President James Carey, University of The Bahamas Vice-President Ian Strachan, Grand Bahama Port Authority Chief Investment Officer Derek Newbold, Ambassador Gilbert Morris and Senator Barry Griffin also made up the panel and spoke of the resilience of the people of Grand Bahama and the benefits of investing in Freeport, which has 230-square miles of free trade zone, one of the largest free trade zones in the Western Hemisphere, with residential and commercial activity and development.
