By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AS Hurricane Dorian’s anniversary looms, Grand Bahama is approaching its third year without a proper airport facility in the nation’s second city.

“We are about to reach our third anniversary of having the airport wiped out in a couple of weeks,” Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce president James Carey said this week as the island hosts the NACAC Track and Field Championships from August 19 to 21.

The event has attracted 400 world athletes, among others, to Freeport.

 Mr Carey noted that having a proper airport is crucial to the survival of Grand Bahama.

“It will be September 1 all over again, and the airport is a critical gateway to any community, particularly the GB community. It is hard to imagine we have subsisted for these last three years without a proper airport,” he said.

 “The previous owners have decided not to rebuild, and the government has taken possession of it. I understand it needs proper (due) diligence, but the process needs to be speeded up. It is going to take a considerable amount of time to build and outfit and have a proper airport facility. Time is just running, unfortunately, and not a lot has been said definitively about what is going to happen.”

 “We are hearing about the possibility of a public private partnership, the managers - but that is nothing substantial and concrete. As it stands, we are not aware of any developments per se in that area. So, we need some information, and it needs to happen.”

 Concerning the Grand Lucayan Resort, Mr Carey said nothing substantial has happened.

 “Grand Bahama, we are renowned for promises. We are a very promising place. The hotel - that has been going on for some time. The Christie administration was trying to offload it, and then the Minnis administration was trying to offload it, and now we are at the Davis administration.

 “There are some definitive things said, but that seems to be very quiet right now. There is an extension of the due diligence period and there has been some indication that there are persons on the ground looking at all of this. But again, we need to see some substantial things happening. More needs to be said for the community,” he said.

 Electr America Hospitality Group entered into an agreement with Lucayan Renewal Holdings to buy the resort for $100 million.

 The group planned to undertake $300 million in renovations to new-and-improved Grand Lucayan, which will be transformed into an environmentally sustainable luxury hotel with approximately 200 rooms and 24 villas; an upscale convention-style hotel with more than 500 rooms that will cater to meetings, groups, and incentive travellers; as well as a family-friendly resort.

 Mr Carey said the Carnival cruise port is an exciting project.

 “They will start to dredge and build out of the pier. So, it will make a difference once it gets going. It is hard to predict how much of the work will go to local contractors, but I am sure there will be the employment of persons to assist and that is a positive thing,” he added.

 In May, Carnival broke ground on 300 acres of land at Sharp Rock, East Grand Bahama, for the construction of a $200M mega cruise port. It is expected to be completed, in late 2024.