EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WISH to respond a letter to the editor you recently published, which was clearly a shameless political hit piece on Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism Chester Cooper.

First, what speech was that individual watching? Cooper was inspirational and aspirational when speaking at the PLP’s Youth Conclave last week. He was mainly encouraging the youth in attendance to help bring about change and build the future.

He didn’t make any empty promises. And it brought us a good bit of business having the conclave here.

As a Grand Bahamian, it grates me to hear FNMs, who had five representatives from Grand Bahama in the last administration, or anyone for that matter, spout nonsense making GB to the world sound worse than it is for political reasons.

I wonder when the last time that person went to Grand Bahama. We are not wandering destitute and unwashed as the writer suggests.

There are legitimate criticisms about the government’s performance as there is still much to be done, but I could not let that writer’s ridiculous embellishment stand. These people make it sound like we are gasping our last breath.

We are actually seeing progress in Grand Bahama, even if it is not as fast as we would like. Unemployment in Grand Bahama is now under 10 percent, a far cry from what it was in the hands of the FNM in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.

The Ministry of Tourism has said air arrivals are up. There are many people employed at Carnival, which is building the largest cruise destination on Earth in Freeport. Carnival has also contracted dozens of local companies. And there are Bahamians who have already been given stores at Carnival.

Hundreds of people are employed at the shipyard, which is undergoing a massive expansion.

The Tribune is reporting that the government is close to sealing the deal with a legitimate buyer for the Grand Lucayan Resort, when the former administration was prepared to give it away. A successful sale would be transformative for Grand Bahama and would mean the world to the Port Lucaya Marketplace.

As for their claims of road paving being done in Exuma because an election nears, the simplest of minds can check Cooper’s Facebook page to see that road paving has been going on for several years.

These political cronies must stop talking down on Grand Bahama just to score political points. They are hurting our economy for purely political reasons. It is despicable and they should stop.

AN ACTUAL CITIZEN OF GRAND BAHAMA

February 4, 2025.