By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

CAMP Grantanna, a Bahamian owned special projects resort at Rose Island, began as Thomas Basden’s vision of a family getaway and quickly evolved into a $10m pristine boutique hotel.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Perry Christie along with several Cabinet Ministers toured the three-acre facility that is nestled amid plush foliage on the island and will be fully operational on November 1.

While Camp Grantanna will only be available for group bookings, Mr Christie told reporters that the government pledged its full marketing support that will mainly focus on the unique amenities of the resort.

It offers 12 air-conditioned hotel rooms, a beach-side kitchen, dock, helicopter pad, two sources of water – filtered rain and well water.

The resort also has solar energy and generator power, a conference room, wireless internet, flat screen televisions and an LCD projector, among other amenities.

Mr Basden is an entrepreneur who also owns an elevator company.

“People think that it takes a lot of money to develop these things,” Mr Basden said. “I say it doesn’t take money. Only if you have an idea and you pursue it certainly you are going to need some money. It’s the idea...go get it, go do it, go make it happen.

Mr Christie congratulated both Mr Basden and his family for completing the project and expressed optimism that Bahamian entrepreneurs would see the work behind Camp Grantanna as an inspiration for their personal goals.

“I think it is important for Bahamians to know that Tom comes from Dumping Ground Corner in Bain Town,” Mr Christie said. “He is the son of a woman who was a maid and who indicated that people of that time said it was difficult for a single woman to bring up a child. I know he knows what he owes his mother as a single woman.

“When he told me he was doing this property, I didn’t pay much attention to it. I came over initially and looked at it and told the Minister of Tourism (Obie Wilchcombe) that we have to find a way to come over and celebrate what he is doing because he is setting an example. He must be seen as a source of inspiration (to people) who would have ideas and who would need to be incentivised in believing that they too could do this. This has been a very difficult project.”

Other Cabinet ministers on the tour were State Minister of Investments Khaalis Rolle, Transport and Aviation Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin and Ministry of Tourism officials.