This is not good.

There is nothing here for local business owners.

Where are the hotel rooms? We have no tourist product to support the island.

We once had 4 golf courses and thousands of hotel rooms. Guests that dined out, used taxis, took local tours, gambled in our casinos, and bought clothes, jewelry, watches etc. in our local shops. Even the landlords were local owners. The profits stayed in The Bahamas.

Trust the government to abandon the Grand Bahama economy for some low paying jobs.

The only winners are the cruise lines as the profits are all controlled by two or three large companies, rents, and all opportunities for locals are limited and controlled by the cruise lines.

Profits leave the country. This is not good for Grand Bahama.

Very well said.

I hope that your message will get through.

In general Bahamians don't want face enlightenment. They would then have to do something out of the box.

"Border enforcement features heavily in the document. The party proposes a “sea wall” using marine assets, drones, radar support and rapid-response teams deployed east and west of Inagua to intercept vessels suspected of carrying migrants."

Do this and you can solve the rest at a reasoned pace.

As long as people can easily enter the country, as they can and do now, refusing naturalization will get you no where.

Besides naturalization, given to the right people, benefits this country.

Empty barrels make the most noise.

Remember the Fleming Group in Freeport or more recently, about 5 years ago, the Weller Group and Discovery Bay. All talk and no money.

Show us the money first. Put $450 million, properly ring fenced, in a licensed bank in The Bahamas first. Then speak.

You are correct. Just the one year.
Certainly through the early 2000s the GBPA contributed tens of millions more each year than as spent there.

Remember all the maintenance of the roads etc. is paid for by the residents of Freeport (through service charge - read Real Property Tax- payments to the GBPA)

Finally, a GB Chamber President who is telling it like it is.

Can the Ambassador guarantee that there won't be a change in policy tomorrow?
What if we agree, start construction and the next thing we know some Bahamian has offended a high ranking US Official and the policy is changed over night?
Just ask the Canadians, Mexicans or Europeans and others.
I don't particular like the Chinese, but have to say that they appear to be far more reliable to do a deal with, at the moment.

The GB Chamber comments are correct. As were the comments by observer2 in yesterdays article "GB Power deal a political stunt".
Anyone who has lived in New Providence, Long Island etc. knows the pain and suffering inflicted by BPL.

Clearly Birdie has never heard of the "roadblock" groups on WhatsApp.

In other words, no one with 2 or 3 billion to invest right away. No one with the expertise to create the excitement necessary to capitalize on Freeport's true potential.

Just enough to buy, and then hope to raise the capital.

The Fleming Report was unrealistic, a la la land approach based primarily on government opening up immigration.

Nothing that we have not heard before.