By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

THE FNM would seek to sell the Grand Lucayan to a proven investor if it gains office in the next election, said party leader Michael Pintard.

Mr Pintard said the FNM’s “number one action” would be to sell the hotel “to a proven investor with financial wherewithal and proven track record (directly or through partnership) in hotel development and operations”.

He added that many interested in purchasing the property have already been vetted to some level. Despite the hope to sell the property to one owner, they “are open to exploring a subdivision of the existing development and sell to more than one buyer with complimentary projects”.

“We will establish parameters within which we will provide incentives to potential buyers,” Mr Pintard said. “We will ensure that the Bahamian people are not disadvantaged [by] the final sale.”

He added that the revitalisation of the golf courses in Grand Bahama “as an integral part of our sports tourism offering” will include partnering with owners of “existing golf courses”. He said they will also work “aggressively” with the Small Business Development Centre and other local and internal funders to finance cultural offerings in Grand Bahama.

“We will aggressively work with SBDC and other funders locally and international to finance cultural, heritage and other activity offerings which would make Grand Bahama far more attractive to stopover and cruise passengers.”

He also mentioned building a “stronger” relationship between artists and artisans in Grand Bahama and the hotel.

“We will engage members of both the board of directors that presided over the sale of the Grand Lucayan under the FNM and PLP. We will consult with the outgoing Minister of Tourism and review the handover notes to ensure continuity.”

Noting that “the future of the Grand Lucayan must be viewed in the context of the overall development of Grand Bahama in general and the development of the Tourism infrastructure and ecosystem in particular”, Mr Pintard also listed general considerations for Grand Bahama including creating a Master Development plan in partnership with stakeholders.

“We will, in concert with other stakeholders, create a master development plan for the island of Grand Bahama in general and West End and East End in particular,” Mr Pintard said. “This plan will include the creation of community public spaces, identification of potential touristic, agricultural, manufacturing, creative, green and other entrepreneurial opportunities for residents and foreign investors. By establishing a clear brand we would bring focus to our national and international efforts to attract investors.”

Mr Pintard mentioned moving with haste and “urgency” to “complete negotiations and execution of the development of the Grand Bahama International Airport”.

“Upgrading our world-class airport is a key component of a world-class tourism destination. Furthermore, an airport which caters to private and commercial flights increases stopover visitors and expand revenues streams. The success of our airport will depend on finding the sweet spot in terms of fees charged. The airport must be sustainable but the costs of landing and using it must not be prohibitive. We will ensure that courier services businesses such as DHL and Federal Express can be accommodated. Our strategic location between north and south and east and west makes us ideal for attracting logistics and consolidation business. Securing Preclearance is on our priority list.”

Mr Pintard added that engaging and working with the Grand Bahama Port Authority is also in the plans “to facilitate [the] onboarding of new shareholders with sufficient capital and clear vision for the Port area” as well as “to create a more transparent and accountable new regulatory body that includes business licence, electricity, and water regulation”.

He said they will “accelerate” the plan to “establish Grand Bahama as the “Tech Hub” and “epicenter for maritime matters” through the University of The Bahamas Northern Campus. Mr Pintard also listed “three overarching goals” that will strengthen tourism investment efforts which include the protection of of tourism infrastructure by creating “breakwaters, seawalls, groins, groynes and other protective structures that mitigates some of the impacts of hurricanes”. He included in the list, “timely adoption of renewable energy sources” and moving “with urgency toward food security”.

“One of the largest economic leakage of the monies earned from tourists is monies that are spent on imported foods.”