Eleuthera 'poised for economic resurgence'

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts told Eleuthera residents over the weekend that the island is poised for an economic resurgence.

Mr Roberts also urged residents on the island to take advantage of opportunities to link agricultural development with tourism opportunities as a way to boost economic activity on the island.

His comments came at a PLP mini-convention at the Ingraham Resort in Eleuthera on Saturday.

“Just over two years ago you the people of Central and South Eleuthera sent the Free National Movement packing after years of neglect, short-sightedness and petty partisan politics.

“...You were denied important economic and educational opportunities in addition to necessary infrastructural upgrades that your hard earned tax dollars paid for. Further, Central and South Eleuthera, like many Family Islands, was left a virtual ghost town with no viable economic prospects on the horizon.

“Thankfully those days are behind us and we come together to celebrate a new day and a brighter future in the evolution of Central and South Eleuthera.”

Mr Roberts noted that Prime Minister Perry Christie has announced that a heads of agreement will soon be signed for a $100m construction of a Four Season Resort in South Eleuthera, near the settlements of Greencastle and Wemyss Bight.

“This is big news for Central and South Eleuthera as phase one of this mixed use resort comprising 115 rooms, 40 cottages and a golf course will provide hundreds of jobs in both the construction and operational phases,” Mr Roberts said.

“We are moving ahead with the Cotton Bay Holdings Limited $10m development of 1,500 acres of land comprising a community of 150 luxury residences with related amenities and golf course at Cotton Bay, Eleuthera,” he added.

The chairman said the island can look forward to the French Leave Marina Village development in Governor’s Harbour; the further expansion of the Coco Di Mama by a joint venture involving Bahamas Fastferries Ltd and the opening of the Seashells hotel in the spring of 2015 under the management of Noble House.

Mr Roberts recalled that Eleuthera has a history of providing food for the country’s consumption and urged farmers on the island to continue that practice.

“With the establishment of the Bahamas Agriculture Marine Resources Scientific Institute or BAMSI, it is my expectation that you would take full advantage of economic opportunities BAMSI will provide through commercial satellite farms and modernised packing houses transformed into agri-business centres.

“This is in keeping with the government’s commitment to diversify the Bahamian economy, create a new cadre of Bahamian entrepreneurs and professionals and promote food security while reducing our huge national food import bill.”

Mr Roberts said Eleuthera will soon see increased airlift and developments, including a new hospital and school.

“Your better days are clearly ahead of you. Take advantage of all opportunities and realise your full potential as you continue to lead the transformation of Eleuthera into one of the major breadbasket centres of The Bahamas and a major centre of commerce, trade, education and entertainment through diversified tourism product offerings and entrepreneurial opportunities,” he said.

“Seize the moment Eleuthera, realise your full potential and be the self-sufficient island that God has called you to be. Feed the Bahamas once again as you did before. Link your agricultural sector with your tourism sector thereby creating more job and investment opportunities for your people.”

Comments

242orgetslu says...

You know what is a wibe, when i was in school we learnt FISHING and FARMING where our way of living, not fuckin TOURISM! Yall wonder why we in this state as a country, the government take our livelihood (FISHING & FARMING) and give it to the foreigners to promote this tourism shit. Whoever read this take a second and go on YOUTUBE and type in SPARE FISHING IN THE BAHAMAS and look how these white people taking everything out our waters for fun, dey out der having fun wit shit WE as Bahamians supposed to live off. Talking bout fucking foreign investment...SMT...... the stupid ass government let dese white man dem come in our country, buy or steal our land and then they themselves build farms on the land and sell the goods to Bahamians????? Some just farm and send food back to their country.......I dont know when tourism became our focus for obtaining revenue for the country, UGLY ASS Perry Christie and he big fuckin nose, dont give a shit bout Bahamian people. They uneducated and the white man know that, thats why they cud swing dem, and then in turn the government is swing the people......Just look at our BRAND NEW PHONE BOOKS, they put the Golden Egg in Tourism..........Fuck shots all yall doing is tellin the white man listen we need yall services in order for our country to operate! How desperate, how incompetent, how uneducated........SMT............NIGGAZ according to yall we gat over 700 islands or whateva, more than half aint gat people living on dem, you mean to tell me we cant have farms that'll in turn create more jobs and help us sustain our own country. Right now we are DEPENDANTS, and the government proud about letting the world know.

Posted 23 June 2014, 10:20 a.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

This is one angry, uneducated young man!!!!!!!!!!! Am sorry bro..........SMH

Posted 23 June 2014, 6:30 p.m. Suggest removal

Well_mudda_take_sic says...

No sooner does Frankie Wilson aka Snake win a Court case giving him title to 2000 acres of land in Eleuthera (that he had to pay very little for as a result of aggressive "quieting"), we have "little Good" Brad talking about how government is going to use the people's money to spur much needed development in Eleuthera, no doubt for the benefit of Snake and Christie's other business cronies associated with real estate projects of one kind or other on that island. This is where a good chunk of the VAT dollars will go if we foolishly allow VAT to come into being. Someone also needs to talk about the enormous concessions by way of many millions of dollars in real property tax breaks that Snake has received the benefit of over the years on his Eleuthera property holdings, including the very large tax bill that was effectively forgiven on much of the land in question at the time Snake first expressed an interest in acquiring it many moons ago.

Posted 23 June 2014, 11:27 a.m. Suggest removal

jt says...

Hey 242, I've seen the youtube videos of tourists spear fishing for trophy catches here in the Bahamas. As a white Bahamian I am angry at the concessions given by the government to foreign investors. But let's get something straight. Bahamian land will always be worth more to tourists than to farmers. Oolitic limestone is sterile. Perhaps hydroponic farming is the future; I don't know. If you are so angry perhaps you should start farming, rolling in your bed of cash from Bahamian crops might make you happy. Conch and grouper stocks are at a critical turning point. Maybe you should read a little before unleashing ignorant, racist rants online.

Posted 23 June 2014, 12:28 p.m. Suggest removal

Clamshell says...

Hey, 242 ... Do you have enough brain cells to understand numbers? 60% of The Bahamas' total national revenue comes from tourism. Farming and fishing *combined* provide just 5%. Can you comprehend that? Cause it proves that you're not just loud and profane, but a total moron. How the whole nation gonna feed, clothe and educate everybody, keep the whole nation running, by selling each other a few tomatoes and a bag of conch? Dumbass.

Posted 23 June 2014, 3:23 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

Did Franky "snake" Wilson catch them South Eleuthera property owners off guard?

Posted 23 June 2014, 4:37 p.m. Suggest removal

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