By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper yesterday apologised to the residents of Abaco for the government “not moving at the speed” they expected following the devastation of Hurricane Dorian six years ago.

Speaking at the Abaco Business Outlook, Mr Cooper acknowledged the burdens placed on the island’s residents and businesses, many of whom were forced to finance their own recovery in the absence of timely state support.

“No words can truly capture the horror of what happened here in 2019 or bring you complete closure. But today, I want to acknowledge your courage. Abaconians did not wait for the state or for outside agencies to rebuild your homes, your businesses and your lives,” said Mr Cooper.

“You found the strength to rebuild with your own hands, to secure funding where you could and to restore Abaco’s natural spirit of hospitality, your resilience has in many ways, outstripped the government’s own efforts, and for that, I extend my deepest admiration and my apologies on behalf of the government for not moving at the speed you expected us to do.”

Mr Cooper said Abaco is showing “encouraging” signs of recovery, with air arrivals up 7.7 percent compared to 2024 and overall visitor numbers now 10.5 percent above pre-Dorian levels.

“In 2025 Abaco is seeing encouraging signs of recovery. Air arrival grew by 7.7 percent compared to 2024. Overall arrivals are 10.5 percent ahead of pre-Dorian levels, and air arrivals in airlift to Abaco is second in the country, only to Grand Bahama.”

He highlighted that since the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) came to office, Abaco has attracted over $1.5bn in foreign direct investment, including major projects such as the $352m Montage Cay resort.

“Since coming to office, we have attracted more than $1.5bn of foreign direct investments for Abaco, equivalent to more than 2000 jobs these projects. Some of them greenfield new projects, some of them are renovating old facilities and these investments are all at a varying stage of development,” said Mr Cooper.

“Foreign direct investment has flowed into projects like the 53-acre Montage Cay slated for opening in 2026 which emphasises sustainable construction, as well as Harbour Core, a state-of-the-art multi-yacht marina and community designed with environmental sustainability as a cornerstone.”

Mr Cooper added that the $177m redevelopment of Treasure Cay Resort is progressing and will be paired with upgrades to the nearby airport.

“We’re also seeing momentum with new projects like the revitalisation of Treasure Cay Resort, a $177m investment that will not only restore an iconic destination, but also create jobs, training opportunities and even avenues for Bahamian investment. Let me just tell you that we acknowledge that building better, advancing significant projects takes time the environmental processes must be done to standard,” said Mr Cooper.

“And therefore, we expect over the course of time that we will see all of these projects come robustly out of the pipeline, including the Treasure Cay Resort, and we will see simultaneously the revitalisation of the Treasure Cay airport.”

During her presentation, president of the Abaco Chamber of Commerce Chantelle Sands described the redevelopment of the Treasure Cay Airport as a “necessity”, warning that the island is “leaving money on the table” by keeping the facility out of operation.

“The return of the Treasury Cay resort will be a catalyst, boosting hospitality, retail, construction, transportation and small businesses. This is not a luxury project. It is a necessity. The potential is there. Real estate remains strong, but without amenities and a fully functioning airport with regular commercial flights, we are leaving value on the table as we talk about the future,” said Ms Sands.

Looking ahead, Mr Cooper said the government sees Abaco as a hub for high-value investments and is working to improve the ease of doing business through digital transformation.

“We also expanding digital transformation initiatives such as online business registration, licensing and customs clearance. And let me just tell you that, as a businessman, a recovering businessman, that the issue of ease of business, ease of doing business, or should I say, the lack of ease of doing business pains me, personally, and this is an area where we acknowledge that there is much more work to do,” said Mr Cooper.

He also called on business owners to step up and help address the critical shortage of housing in Abaco — a long-standing issue that continues to hinder economic recovery and workforce stability on the island.

“Housing in all of these islands is a serious concern, and whilst many look to the government, I’m happy to be speaking with business people today, because we find solutions, and I’m inviting you today, therefore, to partner with the government to help to solve this vexing issue,” said Mr Cooper.

Mr Cooper stressed that while the government is actively working to build more affordable homes across the Family Islands, including Abaco, the scale of the housing crisis requires private sector involvement to meet the growing demand — particularly for workers employed in new tourism, construction and investment projects.

“Whilst not shirking the responsibility of the government, as we will continue to build as many affordable homes as possible. This is not a problem that can be fixed by the government alone, and therefore, I’m asking you to engage on this issue. Build more homes, in short. Partnership is key in the rebuilding effort. Public private partnerships are accelerating development in Abaco, whether it be housing commercial projects or the infrastructure needed to facilitate commerce and tourism,” said Mr Cooper.