By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

MICHAEL Pintard blasted Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism Chester Cooper for not yet overseeing the sale of the Grand Lucayan resort and for not getting an airport in Grand Bahama.

While a guest yesterday on the Foundation talk show hosted by Howard Grant on Guardian Radio, he said the Davis administration is big on promises and slow on delivering.

“DPM Cooper had two and a half years to get a sale for Grand Lucayan which he beat us up about,” he said. “Remember, Dorian occurred in the end of 2019. We had 2020 and 2021. Let’s say he had two and a half years and has not been able to successfully sell the hotel.”

 In December 2021, Mr Cooper announced the government had cancelled a deal for the Grand Lucayan the Minnis administration had negotiated with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines(RCCL) and the ITM Group.

 Mr Cooper also announced a new proposal request process related to the Grand Bahama International Airport (GBIA) would begin on March 28, 2022.

 Mr Pintard said the deputy prime minister had given multiple dates for transforming the airport in Grand Bahama.

 “They have moved from a private-public partnership formula for the Grand Bahama airport, with a $400m price tag for the airport and creation of a berm, to $80m, and we still don’t know if it is a true private-public partnership,” he said.

 “So, for all of their talk about their brilliance and willingness to work on our behalf, they have very little to show for it, particularly in places like Grand Bahama.”

 Mr Pintard also stressed that the prime minister and the PLP chairman’s public row with the Grand Bahama Port Authority was “a tremendous disservice” to Grand Bahama.

 He believes it created tremendous uncertainty among present and potential investors and that the port should expand and welcome additional Bahamian shareholders, licensees, and others who can buy shares in physical assets.