Where is the former Member for High Rock with his brilliant investment plan ........ the one that Ingraham put at the back of the room????????

What is the plan for all the major hotels on Grand Bahama that are still closed, as is the island's only casino? They keep pretending as if that island has actual beds for heads in any large number.

It is time to free Free Port!!! Remove all restrictions to US, Canadian and UK persons and companies moving there for comercial purposes. No work permits required. No duty. No BIA approvals. The Government would still make a killing from stamp tax, VAT and company incorporation fees. If this is done, Free Port real estate would pop overnight. In ten years, it could become another NYC with skyscrapers etc. Nassau residents would flock there due to its booming economy and Nassau would become less over populated. The US government would start investing in The Bahamas again. Only sector reserved strictly for Bahamians should be the commercial fishing sector. We would still have the rest of The Bahamas all to ourselves. We have no choice. We are bankrupt! Time to be innovative. Time to put The Bahamas on the map again. It is time to free Free Port or die a slow death of financial stagnation and ruin.

You mean bring it back to where it was before 1967??

What country in the world would give away one of their islands or states and leave only
fishing for the natives? How are they better than Bahamians?

I agree. By the way, does anyone know exactly how many of our islands have been sold to wealthy foreigners as "private islands." Our islands are priceless and should never be sold. Lease yes, sold no. We soon won't be able to call them the Bahama Islands because we sold our islands away.

You are so right. One of those foreigners might decide to put one of the islands in a suitcase and take it home with him. You never know with them! They are foreigners after all. They might have super-human powers.

Birdie, how many islands in the Thousands Islands, in Canada, have been sold to foreigners....oh that's right, the Canadians are not xenophobic.

Speaking of Thousand Islands in Canada, Americans were gobbling them up and selling them to the Chinese ... AND ... the Chinese were defaulting. This a story from Kingston Ontario Canada from a couple of years ago:

*The Chinese industrialists who purchased the Eagle Point Winery and its luxurious modern castle on the river less than three years ago have defaulted on their loan and the ownership of the properties has reverted to the former owner.*

*In a foreclosure judgment issued Oct. 14, Ontario Superior Court Justice Paul Kane ordered that ownership of the winery near Escott, the mansion at 697 Thousand Islands Parkway and seven related properties return to Terry S. Dixon.*

*The court also ordered the Chinese interests, which operate under the name of CN-CA Cultural Centre Inc., to pay Dixon $13.54 million, which is the balance of the loan, interest and costs.*

*Reached at his home in Morriston, Fla., Dixon, 77, was reluctant to talk about the foreclosure, saying "it's our private lives" but he confirmed the properties are back in his hands.*

*"We just took the property back and we're going to resume operations as previously planned," Dixon said.*

*Asked whether he planned to put the properties back on the market, Dixon said plans are still up in the air.*

*"We really don't know what we're going to do yet," said Dixon, a multi-millionaire who made his money with a string of car dealerships in the Western United States.*

Which brings up an interesting point. Why don't we have a winery in the Bahamas? There are places warmer than here that make wines.

Has doc said anything new? oh is the same old thing again The man has no vision
he has moved on from Bains town free tax zone and no VAT on electricity, water and
medical.

Umm someone tell the PM that duty-free shopping is so 1990. The jobs that it creates are minimum wage service jobs. What Freeport needs are knowledge industries. Tired of catching crumbs that fall from the table of rich folks. Let's make our own luck. Let's make our own money. Let anyone who wants to start a technology business in Freeport to come for free. Make them welcome. Let them go nuts and create better-paying jobs than tourism and shopping.

To make the island of Grand Bahama a renowned duty-free shopping centre for residents and millions of visitors from around the world is a gross understatement!

Why just stop at Freeport?

The Bahamas proximity between North America, the Caribbean, and South America coupled with Freeport container terminal creates the "perfect storm location" for the entire Bahamas as a primary location for an international duty-free shopping centre.

THE Almighty True God Jehovah has already given us all we need to be the shopping mecca of the hemisphere!

We have had everything except a government with foresight and enough common sense to see that the Bahamas could very easily rival Panamas to become the "go-to" country for shopping for Commonwealth countries as well as North Americans!

This coupled with the opportunity to develop the Bahamas as an international air hub for people transiting Europe, North and South America is absolutely staggering and VERY easily accomplished.

Freeport is a basket case and you are on the right track PM Minnis, but you must think NATIONALLY to realize maximum benefit.

Comrades! Nothing more painful reminder Freeport's racist history than to have a cabinet made up in the majority with Negros - aiding and abetting and being an accessory to resurrect Freeport's racist ugly past.......What's next.......take the old gates out the Port's warehouse that once restricted the native Negroes from crossing over from West End into Freeport after dark - unless they could provide proof mainly domestic employment. {You don't have make this up}. Have red shirts cabinet ministers - forgotten all about the Port Authority's German Sheppard Guard Dogs?

The majority of tourists coming to Freeport on The Celebration and Balearia head straight to Port Lucaya. They are told at the port, they can buy souvenirs and eat at restaurants. However, the one thing that they are desperately looking for is an experience and participation in our Bahamian culture. They want to feel and hear our culture. The Ministry of Tourism in partnership with the Ministry of Youth can immediately start providing jobs to talented young singers, dancers, bands to entertain at the Port Lucaya Square daily. I am even thinking of something similar in entertainment to the National Youth Choir and how they blend our culture with fantastic singing, costumes and great lively entertainment. It does not make sense to keep increasing the amount of airlines coming into Freeport or even Nassau if there is nothing to keep the tourists entertained. A happy tourist will tend to spend more. Studies show this to be true.

You mean something like the UBP did before independence when they actively promoted Ronnie Butler and King Eric Gibson to the tourists?

" Duty free shopping " yes there are signs everywhere but this is another Bahamian dream world where you try and con the visitors that there really is a bargain to be had. Take liquor for example---cheaper in a high street shop in the states after tax than in a so called duty free liquor store here. People are after bargains and they are few and far between in the Bahamas.
As for Bay street -one end full of tee shirt, jewellery and liquor shops and the other looking like Alepo on a good day. No music, very few if any places to relax and have a drink after 5.30, so why would a cruise ship passenger want to enjoy Bay Street.

And spend $20 on a plate of hummus and bread at the Athena Cafe, where you can get in the US for $5.

I remember when Freeport was the place to go. The Holiday Inn was a happening place. Somebody needs to do something. It's still beautiful but no one is there. Right now the tourists wouldn't even have a place to stay.

Another historical falsehood Tal, the security gate a the western border of Freeport was a Customs checkpoint, to prevent Duty Free Materials "escaping" the confines of the Port area.
(put in place to curtail what was happening often)
Be aware the "Victor" writes (or re-writes) history to suit their purposes, something the PLP has done much of.
Duty Free Shopping is nonsense, in that the rest of the world has far greater purchasing power than the Bahamas, Tax advantages, not just tax exemptions and online shopping with same day delivery. Gone are the fine linens,(from England) Watches (from Switzerland) liquors (from everywhere EXCEPT here).
Hate to say it but seems we're in for more of the same lame lack of competence, but perhaps without the wholesale tiefing.

Tal is always re-writing facts to suit an alternative revisionist history of the criminal gang that ran the Bahamas at independence.

There is a shopping mall in China that is as big as New Providence ........... is this what Minnis wants to reproduce in Grand Bahama????? ........... We already have the Chinese Bahamar white elephant project ........... Who is going to demand that that ugly thing be imploded???

Comrades! The selling numbers is the one and only most profitable business operating in Freeport.Extremely low operational overhead - high by the minute daily profits off the suckers!

On that you are right Tal, a scam perpetrated by Bahamians, against Bahamians.
And you're worried about a fictional gate?
Let's face it, apparently Bahamians either have no vision, or have had any vision they may have had beaten out of them or stopped/prevented by none other than their own so called leadership. No one screws a Bahamian better than a Bahamian.
Add to that the right to avoid bills and not live up to obligations across the board........

ever since amazon, there is no need for duty free shopping.

you can get anything online. with 20% duty on clothing i can get tailored clothing delivered to me for 60% of what a pret-a-porte suit costs in the local mall or 80% of what i can get in nordstrom, and then i have to pay for a plane ticket. that is right, tailored-- not outlet mall crap..

Right ON!!!! My Bloomberg screen is full of retailers and mega retail conglomerates that are dying because of online shopping.

Prohibition history in 8 mile rock. The locatmotove machine. NASA flight test. Army base.

The gates at the beach were put there for tax evasion?? Freeport was not built with Bahamians
in mind. No matter how Freeport may prosper if Bahamians do not benefit it is in vain.

More for theft prevention, of Tax free materials being removed from the Port Area.
No, Freeport was not built with Bahamians in mind, true enough, however who, Bahamians or foreigner alike builds anything but for themselves or their profit and benefit?
In that there is no difference between Bahamian or foreigner!
Especially Pindling. Who you think taught all those who have come after him and his crew?
Name me one selfless profitless action by any of them?

The duty free thing is just the headline. The article lists other proposals. Unless they can get prices for quality goods and services cheaper than Florida it means nothing, just a catchy phrase. The other stuff he speaks about is more interesting

"*my government is committed to completing the National Museum of the Bahamas for the benefit of Bahamians primarily, but also as a heritage experience for tourists. ....the creation of a native food market in the Over-the-Hill community, the construction of a maritime museum at the Lowell J Mortimer Maritime Institute and the development of heritage and eco-tours throughout the country through the use of signage, on par with the Blue Plaque system used in the United Kingdom.*"

More than anything tourists are looking for experiences, clean, attractive, relaxing environments and good food, if they purchase local products at all they are looking for authentic items that depict the culture. Half the food served at places like Arawak cay is too greasy and too starchy. There's a lot that could be improved.

Hopefully they get it right. This master plan could have been "planned" in opposition. Pulling for you Dr Minnis, but out the gate I'm disappointed.

Doc you have got to tell hutchison wampoa they have a decision to make, really a very simple one! You have one week to decide if you are going to open the hotels, if not you must sell!! No long drawn out meetings or drama. Open them or sell.
As for port lucaya, why in gods name was it sold without the docks/ marina? This is another decision that needs to be made. You, the owner of the docka/marina bring it up to par or sell at fair market price! Decisions must be made!!!!!!!!!!!! No longer the need for talk. Decisions please.

I am with BMW

Go one better and impose tax/penalties on their (Hutchison's) other businesses for each day the hotels remain shut.

They were given tax concessions and or incentives to own the hotels....time to get that back if they won't open or sell the hotels.

OPEN THEM ASAP!!!

We all yearn for the good ole days of Freeport! Those days won't come back so look at present and try to forecast the future based on what is happening now. How can we get GB into participating in the technology boom, for example? Open the borders? Provide enticing incentives for investors? Do we know if any of these companies want to come here? What does it take? We have land, infrastructure, some trained and outstanding Bahamian personnel here and abroad...proximity to lucrative markets...surely there is a place for us in the world of commerce etc. We have to find our niche! Other places are welcoming investors, let's get in the market too. Otherwise, we will be drawing straws for turning off the lights!

Legislation ought to be made up to – make all of Grand Bahama a Freeport Island – similar to the Hong Kong model.

What did a free port do for Freeport? Not the solution. Tourists come for unique rich local experiences, the duty free purchase is secondary and more than likely even with duty free they can purchase cheaper in the US.