By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie has indicated that significant investments are in the pipeline that will provide major economic stimulus for east Grand Bahama.

According to Mr Christie, the government is only a few weeks away from completing a heads of agreement for a Carnival cruise port in the eastern part of the island.

“It is a new destination being created and linkage will be established around that new port,” he said last Friday in Grand Bahama.

Mr Christie also noted that interest has been expressed by two aragonite mining companies concerning manufacturing activities in the east.

Proposals have been submitted to the government for aragonite mining at Berus Cay. Aragonite is a component of sand and there is demand for it in other parts of the world for manufacturing all kinds of products.

Mr Christie said: “You will begin to hear debate take a new twist about a resource in the country called aragonite where I indicated that the government is going through assessment of the science behind aragonite to determine the extent to which it can be an export industry – meaning the extent to which it is a renewable resource.

“The interesting thing is that two major entities involved in the process of aragonite are both indicating that they would wish to centre activities in manufacturing on the island of Grand Bahama. And it is not something that will happen in our next election, I am talking now to people about giving them the hope and knowledge… that things are happening on this island and that it is the beginning of the turn that is in evidence.”

The prime minister also talked about plans for major expansions at Deep Water Cay in east Grand Bahama.

He disclosed that there is an application on his desk to be approved for over $60 million in duty free materials for Deep Water Cay.

Mr Christie said there are plans to expand the airport and hotel development, subject to environmental considerations.

“They are building a new destination and a new hotel chain Six Senses is coming to the Bahamas for the first time, this is what is happening now,” he said.

“In so far as the status of the deal, if we finish the House of Assembly early on Monday, the heads of agreement will go to my cubby on Monday, so you can see I am not talking about 2017, I am talking about getting it done for Grand Bahama so we can have people more meaningfully employed.”

Turning to Freeport, he also shared news about expansion plans in the industrial sector.

He said the owners of PharmaChem plan to start expansion early next year at their plant on West Sunrise Highway.

“We expect to break ground in mid-January with PharmaChem where they will expand their unit there and therefore you will see employment increase in that company in Freeport.

“So things are happening. There is every reason to believe we are beyond the stage of making promises to people, we are at the stage of executing commitments that we have made and what considerations have been given to.”

In west Grand Bahama, Mr Christie said that government will construct a new school and sporting facility hopefully in 2016.

“I hope the contract will be announced shortly and work can begin shortly…and people will be able to go to work,” said Mr Christie.