By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

Hurricane Hole’s ambition to develop the largest Caribbean marina slip could aid The Bahamas’ efforts to establish a yacht registry, the deputy prime minister said yesterday.

K Peter Turnquest said Sterling Global Financial’s focus on mega yachts through its $270-$280m project, which includes a marina redevelopment, could provide spin-off benefits for The Bahamas.

“We look forward to the hosting of mega yachts in the marina, which brings an additional benefit to the community and also helps us to support our initiatives with respect to a yacht registry in The Bahamas, which is something we have been aspiring to for many years,” Mr Turnquest said.

“Home porting these yachts brings with it all of the requirements for the maintenance of yachts, employment of crew, and brings benefits to the economy of Nassau and The Bahamas in general.

“The new careers that may be spawned as a result of home porting these mega yachts is also something that is very exciting, and I think will do well for those young, aspiring Bahamians who want to get into less traditional fields. It will fall in line with what we are trying to do with our technical training initiatives through BTVI and other training initiatives.”

Mr Rolle, Sterling Global Financial’s senior executive vice-president for business development, had earlier said: “A key feature which excites me in this first phase is the mega yacht marina, which will be the largest in The Bahamas and Caribbean. Our smallest slip will be north of 50 feet and the largest one would be 500 feet. There is no other marina in the Caribbean that has a dock as big as that. We are very excited about that.”