Before
I begin I would like to invite you to stand with me for a moment of silence and
reflection on the recent, horrendously tragic loss of life in Grand Bahama
involving five young boys, Jake, Mackinson, Deangelo, Junior and Desmond And as
we pause in reflection, let us remember the mothers and families of these young
boys and pray that almighty God will give them solace in this terrible time of
bereavement.
Session
Chairpersons; Madam Deputy Prime Minister and Mr. Pratt; my other colleagues in
Cabinet; Honourable Senators; fellow members of the House of Assembly;
Distinguished members of the diplomatic corps; Mr. Convention Chairman;
Reverend gentlemen and ladies; Esteemed Stalwart Councillors; Mr. Party
Chairman and Mrs. Rigby; other National Party Officers-elect; Representatives
of the Progressive Young Liberals and of the Women’s Branches and other
affiliated organizations; fellow delegates to this 48th National
General Convention of the Progressive Liberal Party; my brothers and sisters of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas :
Tonight,
in this our golden jubilee year, I give praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God
for preserving us all these many years.
I give
praise and thanks to Him for seeing us though all the many perils, toils and
snares we have faced in the last half-century.
It is by His grace that we survived.
It is by His suffrage that we endured.
He neither forsook us nor ever forgot us. Rather, He sustained us.
In our darkest hours, when our tribulations and sorrows pressed hard
upon us, when all seemed lost, He was always with us, reviving us, refreshing
us, and reminding us that our mission was not yet finished nor our destiny
done.
You will
understand me, then, when I say with a full and grateful heart :
To God Be
The glory; Great Things He has done.
I also
pause this evening to give praise and thanksgiving for three special men who
together in courage conceived our great Party and laid its foundation on solid
rock fifty years ago. To these men, our
Founding Fathers, H.M. Taylor, William (“Bill”) Cartwright and Cyril Stevenson,
I offer up the praise and thanks of a grateful Party.
Tonight I
also give praise and thanksgiving for that mighty band of brothers whose
countless sacrifices in the early years of our struggle paved the way for the
successes of later years.
I give
thanks for fearless crusaders like Milo Butler and Clarence Bain.
I give
thanks for champions of the working man like Randol Fawkes and Clifford
Darling.
I give
thanks for men of God like the Reverend H.W. Brown.
I give
thanks for patriots par excellence like Arthur Hanna and Carlton Francis; for
men of passion and principle like Cecil Wallace-Whitfield and Paul Adderley and
Clement Maynard.
I give
thanks for brave hearts in the 50’s and 60’s like Sammy Isaacs and Arthur
Foulkes; young warriors like Warren Levarity and Loftus Roker; and frontline
soldiers like Jimmy Shepherd, Cadwell Armbrister and Anthony Roberts.
Tonight I
also give praise and thanksgiving for the illustrious Grande Dames of our
party. I give thanks for the unswerving
commitment and courageous example of women like Marguerite Pindling, Beryl
Hanna, Doris Johnson, Eugenia Lockhart, Georgianna Symonette, Effie Walkes and
Ena “Mama Doo” Hepburn.
Without
the sacrifice and struggle of these men and women, and the many hundreds of
others who marched shoulder to shoulder with them down through the years, we
would not be here tonight celebrating our 50th anniversary as the
nation’s premier fighting force for the empowerment of the Bahamian
people.
But
tonight, as we reflect on our first 50 years, there is one person for whom the
most generous portion of our acclaim is justly reserved. He is revered as the greatest of all our
National heroes and rightly so for in his time he laboured without cease to
improve the lives and lot of ordinary Bahamians all across our
archipelago. By the time he was done,
he was hailed the architect of the modern Bahamas and the Father of our Nation. Our late brother and fallen comrade, my
mentor, my inspiration and my hero, Lynden Oscar Pindling was the greatest of
them all and the debt we owe him is greater than we can ever repay.
It is only fitting, then, that I
pause at this particular juncture of my address to let you know that amongst
the many ways in which we intend to keep the name and memory of Sir Lynden
alive is the very special form of tribute I now announce : my Government,
acting on the recommendation of the National Cultural Development Commission,
has decided to take all necessary steps to re-name Nassau International
Airport, The Lynden Pindling International Airport at the
earliest opportunity.
Fellow
Delegates :
Last year when I addressed
you in Convention I promised you a new Age of Transformation – a transformation
in the way we govern; a transformation in the institutional framework of
governance; a transformation in values and attitudes; a transformation in the
way we relate to each other as members of our society; and a transformation in
our economy so that its fruits might be more fully enjoyed by all our
citizenry.
I come here to report to you
tonight that the transformation I promised is well underway.
We have set our course and are
holding steady. We are making good
speed and good progress.
·
The groundwork for constitutional reform has already been
laid by the Constitutional Commission.
In 2004, you, the Bahamian people, will be consulted closely on the
proposed reforms. This will not be,
however, a “rush job” like the other fellas tried to pull on you a few years
back. No, we are determined to forge a
broad national consensus on constitutional change well in advance of any
referendum.
·
The re-structuring of our public service sector is also
already in progress and in 2004, after the necessary consultations would have
taken place, you can expect additional reforms aimed at accelerating the
modernization, and improving the efficiency, of the Public Service in all its
branches.
·
The emergence of a more co-ordinated approach to national
security is also already bearing fruit;
·
The problems of crime, recidivism and prison reform are
being aggressively tackled under the aegis of the Prison Reform Commission;
·
Our imaginative and creative approach to urban
rehabilitation and community renewal has already produced phenomenal
results. The Farm Road project has been
so successful as a pilot scheme, bringing about a massive drop in crime amongst
its many positive effects, that it is now being replicated in other needy areas
of our country, including Grand Bahama, Long Island, and Acklins and in other
inner-city communities in New Providence, including Bain Town/Grants Town and
St. Cecilia.
It is important for you to
know that the fame of the Farm Road project has extended well beyond our
shores. Earlier this year, at the
regional meeting of Commissioners of Police in Bermuda, it won the prize for
the most innovative community policing programme in the entire region. That’s the kind of international acclaim and
respect we have won for this revolutionary, multi-disciplinary, cost-efficient
approach to urban renewal and rehabilitation.
·
The preparatory studies by the National Health Insurance
Commission for a viable system of national health insurance are nearly
completed and the Commission’s report will be presented in January. We are determined to bring an end to the
obscene reality that too many of our people are condemned to die simply because
they cannot afford the cost of major medical care. That is why a national health insurance scheme is so important
and why it is so urgent. It is not only socially necessary, it is morally
imperative! And this PLP Government is
going to make it happen!
·
A proper framework for the development of our cultural
resources has also been created and already borne fruit under the guiding hands
of the Cultural Commission and the Antiquities and Monuments Corporation;
·
A systematic approach to the re-invigouration of our
financial services sector is also well in hand under the guidance of the
Minister of Financial Services & Investments and the Consultative
Forum;
·
the development of more effective systems for identifying
and treating blind, physically disabled, and learning-impaired members of our
community, especially children, is also now in firmly in hand.
Under the direction of the
National Commission on Special Education headed by Mrs. Lois Symonette, we have
launched a school census to identify children with learning disabilities in our
schools. Further, a National Screening
Programme will soon be introduced to facilitate the more precise identification
of physical impairments and learning difficulties and to establish appropriate
referral systems for assessment and assistance.
Let me just dwell on this
particular matter for just a minute because I cannot begin to tell you how
critically important this one is.
Do you know that no one
knows how many blind people there are in The Bahamas? Or how many physically disabled persons there are? Or how many learning-disabled children there
are. How can this be?
How can we call ourselves a
caring and compassionate society if we have not taken the time to conduct a
nationwide inventory or census of the disabled on a category-by-category
basis?
Moreover, how can we
possibly design or implement educational or social policies that cater to the
needs of the blind and disabled and learning-impaired if we have no idea how
many there are in each category and if we have no definite information on the
support-systems that are available to such persons? I can see countries with many millions of people not having this
kind of detailed information but Good God we are a nation of only 300,000
people! There can be no excuse for such indifference.
But, you know, it points to
a larger problem in our system of governance.
For far too long we have been content to make policy on the basis of
uninformed guesswork. But how can we justify this casual
approach to when it comes to human development? How can we possibly be content with the old way of doing
things, just floating along, relying on band-aids and quick-fix, stop-gap
“solutions” backed up by nothing more than guesswork.
It is precisely because of such
shortcomings that the Commissions I have appointed are so important; they are
important because they lay a solid foundation for policy formation by causing
problems to be thoroughly researched, studied, dissected and analyzed before
solutions are attempted by the Government.
The new commissions, by their
collective output to date, have more than vindicated our confidence in them as
vitally-important think-tanks for research, planning, and policy formation.
So don’t
listen to them when they tell you these Commissions are a waste of time. No, the Commissions are performing superbly
and for the first time we are developing a rational, fact-based approach to the
formulation of Government policy, in large part, because of the excellent work
the Commissions are doing.
Fellow
Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Tonight I
intend to devote the greater part of my address to the economy. It is, I think, important for me to do this
because there is whole new frontier of economic opportunity that is rising up
right before our eyes and it troubles me that as a people we do not appear to
be gearing ourselves up fast enough to reap the harvest.
Before I
delve into the specifics of this wonderful economic transformation, however,
there are two matters that I need to address since they have a critical bearing
on my main subject tonight.
Firstly,
let me say that I know only too well that there are many of you who are still
waiting to taste the fruits of the victory you fought so hard for. Many of you, I know, are suffering. I think most especially of the very many
young Bahamians who embraced our Party in the hope and expectation that a new
PLP Government would make an immediate difference in their lives after years of
neglect and abandonment by the FNM.
For 18
long months you have been patient. For
18 long months, you have allowed your new PLP Government the time it needed to
right the wrongs we met in place.
Things were worse, much worse, than we could possibly have known. The former Government had made a complete
mess of so many things, including our public finances.
You knew
therefore that however hard we tried, it would take time to clean up the mess
and put things on an even keel once again.
And so for 18 long months you have waited while we busied ourselves
repairing the damage that we found. For
18 months you have waited while we re-primed the engines of the economy so that
hope and help could be brought your way.
I am
grateful for your understanding and patience.
I am grateful for your maturity and forbearance. It has not been easy for you, I know.
But I want
you to know that your waiting is nearly over. By the time I am done tonight you
will agree, I am sure, that your waiting has not have been in vain and that the
immediate future is filled with positively wondrous opportunities for the
enhancement of the quality of your lives.
I also
want you to know, however, that I also hear you when you say that you have had
to go without while many of those in the party opposite have continued to grow
fat in the public service jobs the former Government handed out like candy.
I want you
to know that I also hear you when you say that these same FNM’s got in before
the hiring freeze and are still sitting pretty while many of you in the PLP who
fought so hard for the liberation of our country from tyranny are still frozen
out.
That’s a
tough pill for anyone to have to swallow.
And I also
know that it has been made a whole lot tougher for many of you because of the
continued high-handed arrogance and spiteful behavior of some public officials
who were put in positions of authority by the FNM Government and are still in
place. Sadly, some of these very same
officials have tried to take advantage of our pledge not to victimize them by
turning right around and victimizing the hell out of PLPs! They have used our pledge not to
discriminate against them as a coat of armour to protect them while they
discriminate against you. Isn’t
that something? We do the decent,
honourable thing towards them only to be repaid in this wicked and cynical
manner.
All this
week in Convention I have heard case after case after case of innocent PLPs who
are being victimized by public servants simply because they are PLP!
Well, I
have news for these folks. The pledge
of my Party and my Government was not to victimize anybody based on
their personal politics, whether they be FNM or PLP.
If you
want to be FNM, that’s fine with me.
That’s one of the blessings of freedom in a democratic society. And as I have said so many times before and
say again tonight, you have nothing to fear from me or my Government on that
score. But understand me well when I
tell you this : just as I have no right to discriminate against you because you
are FNM, you must understand that you have no right to use your office to
discriminate against PLPs just because they are PLP. And if you abuse your office, if you misuse your power, to
deliberately and wickedly persecute or discriminate or victimize PLPs simply
because you want to hurt or discredit or sabotage the PLP, then you must be
made to understand that there are legal means by which you can be made – and will
be made - to pay dearly for your transgressions.
So hear me
loud and clear. 2004 is a new year. Pull your socks up before it is too late. I
will not sit idly by and allow a small number of saboteurs to take advantage of
my Government’s goodness and decency so that they can use their office to
victimize PLPs just because they are still vexed that the FNM is out and the
PLP is in.
I
therefore put all such persons on notice tonight that my Government is
determined to avail itself of any and every legal means at its disposal to
cause any public official who behaves contrary to the public interest by
unlawfully victimizing innocent citizens to be removed from office or to be
otherwise disciplined with the maximum severity permitted by law. This is not a threat. It is a solemn promise I intend to
keep.
The other
point I need to make at this stage is even more timely because unless it is
brought under control it will surely derail all the plans we have of
dramatically improving the quality of life though rapid economic expansion.
And pardon
me if I speak bluntly.
I am very
deeply perturbed over the recent incidents involving irresponsible and
downright illegal actions on the part of some trade union officials, especially
those in the public corporations who have only recently come on the scene and
seem to think that they can do what they want to do whenever they want with
complete impunity. Some of these
leaders seem not to know that with power comes responsibility. Some of them seem not to know that
aggressive industrial action is, by common custom, always a last resort, never
an opening salvo. Some of them seem not
to know that there are consequences for illegal actions, in particular, for
illegal strikes that are clumsily and cynically dressed up as mass sick-outs
even while those who claim to be too sick to work are partying the night away
on Saunders Beach.
And let me
make this point as forcefully as I can: there is no one in the trade union
movement who can presume to lecture the PLP about trade unionism or workers’
rights. The PLP and organized labour
have been first cousins for 50 years.
We are close family. We were
championing the rights of workers long before most union leaders today were
even born. It is a pity that some of
the newer, inexperienced union leaders have not taken the time to school
themselves in these matters.
In my own
Government, four of my Ministers have exceptionally close ties to the trade
union movement. One of them was a
leader of the Trade union movement himself just a few years ago.
From the
very beginning, we have reached out to organized labour. We have been faithful to our pledge and
proven ourselves a trusted and reliable ally.
But we have always done so responsibly and fairly, appreciating, as we
do, the need for even-handedness and restraint and adherence to the rule of law
and the principles governing the mediation of industrial disputes in which the
Government must always act as an honest broker.
And so
tonight I feel that I really need to call on all union leaders to re-commit
themselves to the core-principles of good industrial relations. Threats and
illegal work-stoppages and acts of sabotage have no place in the modern arsenal
of responsible trade unionism. Instead,
we need to restore discipline, restraint and mutual goodwill as the central
virtues of industrial relations in our country.
If we do
not, the promise of accelerated economic prosperity will shrivel up in no time
at all, leaving all of us to ponder the folly of our ways.
But let me also at the same time
counsel employers to embrace the same values.
Be fair to your workers. Give them their just due. Refrain from provocative union-busting behavior
for that, too, is against the written law and the spirit of good industrial
relations practices.
We have to
cool tempers down and take a few steps back.
Let confrontation always be the last resort. Let the spirit of harmony and concord and mutual respect rule the
day instead.
TRANSFORMING
THE BAHAMIAN ECONOMY
Fellow
delegates :
Having said what I had to say about those two matters, I
turn now to the economic transformation that already is vigourously underway in
our country.
At a time of economic stagnation in many parts of the world,
you should feel proud to know that The Bahamas under your PLP Government is
experiencing dramatically increased levels of investor confidence in virtually
all sectors of our economy.
The future, therefore, is looking exceptionally bright for
our nation.
Indeed, by year end, my Government will have signed Heads of
Agreement for new or expanded projects representing investments in excess of
three (3) BILLION dollars
with the potential to create in excess
of 8,000 new, direct jobs and twice that number of jobs when spin-off entrepreneurial
opportunities are factored in.
In anticipation of this massive new
growth and to ensure that it can be adequately supported, my Government has
committed itself to the intensified development of our infrastructure
throughout The Bahamas.
We have also made a major thrust in stimulating our economy
through the recent reduction of electricity rates by some 12% for large
commercial users and an even greater reduction for homeowners.
Moreover, the accelerated upgrading of BaTelCo will further
strengthen the physical and IT platforms needed to sustain our bold new thrust
in education, tourism, financial services and E-business, all of which are so
critically important to our continued economic development. On the subject of Batelco, it would be
remiss of me if I did not make mention of the fact that in the worldwide
ratings just released by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU),
Batelco has been rated the No.#1 Telecoms company in the region; #3 in the
entire hemisphere, just behind the United States and Canada; and #37 in the
entire universe. Isn’t that a
well-earned badge of pride for Batelco and for the entire Bahamas?
Make no mistake about it : we are working diligently on an
ambitious programme to turn our economy around and to achieve and sustain rapid
growth and expansion so that all our people can get a fair and equitable share
of the economic pie in the shortest possible time and realize their full
potential.
Central to this new thrust will be a renewed emphasis on special
skills training and technology transfer.
This is critical because we have to ensure that Bahamians acquire the
knowledge and the skills that are necessary if we are to become self-reliant
and if we are to make the most of the economic opportunities that are springing
up all around us.
Although time does not permit me to provide a comprehensive
outline of the economic initiatives that are being taken by your Progressive
Liberal Party Government, I do want to focus particular attention tonight on
some of the major projects that are spearheading the economic transformation of
which I speak. I want our young people,
in particular, to pay close attention to what I have to say because as they
listen they will see that there is a new frontier of economic opportunity that
is beckoning them even as I speak.
Our economic development plan calls for the
establishment of an anchor resort or major commercial project in each Island of
The Bahamas which, in addition to providing the main source of direct employment,
will produce spin-offs to positively impact the local economy on a sustained
basis. In this latter regard, it will be important for new Bahamian owned
business enterprises to be formed to supply goods and services to the resort and second-home
communities that will be created out of the development projects in the Family
Islands that I shall be outlining for you in just a few moments. Indeed, it would be a great pity if
Bahamians in the local communities were to be bypassed for other Bahamians with
greater access to capital.
And
so it will be important for Bahamians in the islands targeted for significant
resort development to gear up. Resort
development will create strong linkages with the agricultural and fisheries
sectors. Resort communities will need
fruit and vegetables in abundance. The
same applies to local handicrafts and souvenir manufacturing. The spin-off effects from resort development
and the linkages to other productive sectors will therefore greatly multiply
the economic opportunities in the Family Islands.
We
need, however, to take great care to avoid situations of Bahamians fronting for
foreign interests. We also need to
avoid Bahamians in local communities selling out or handing over their
businesses and services to long established companies who monopolize such
businesses.
In
order to assist the growth of new local entrepreneurs, my Government intends to
assist with the provision of special funding through the Bahamas Development
Bank and to encourage commercial banks to do likewise.
In the
area of tourism expansion, we have embarked upon a strategy that will encourage
the development of resorts which include hotels, adjacent second- home
communities, condominiums and time share facilities. Such a model better facilitates capital funding, ensures higher
occupancy and spending on a year round basis by guests and home owners with
good disposable incomes who are less affected by recession and have a long term
commitment to The Bahamas by reason of their investment. The emphasis on second home ownership is
particularly important because it will tend to offset some of the crippling
effects when the hotel industry goes into a deep and sudden slump as a result
of unforeseen external events such as we experienced in the immediate aftermath
of 9/11.
RUM CAY
Let me begin with Rum Cay, the
birthplace of our beloved National Hero, the late Sir Milo Butler.
I am delighted to announce that we have approved a proposal by
Montana Holdings Ltd. for the development of eight hundred and seventy (870)
acres at Rum Cay.
This project will comprise a 5-star
hotel featuring an 18-hole golf course, entertainment complex, villas,
time-share cottages, residential villas, retail outlets, a dive club and a
50-berth marina and club house.
This resort is scheduled for
completion by 2007.
This development at Rum Cay is projected to employ over 100
persons during the construction stage and over 120 persons in the daily
operations when completed.
EXUMA
The Emerald Bay Resort project encompassing the five star
Four Seasons Hotel, the Greg Norman Golf Course, upscale second home
residential development is set to completely revolutionize the economy of
Exuma. The resort will officially open
this coming Monday.
This project has engaged several hundred
construction workers and when the residential components are completed, will be
responsible for some 400 full time, permanent employees.
Adjacent to Emerald Bay, an
application has been received for an 86 lot residential community development,
including an inland harbour and marina,
to be known as Roker’s Point at Emerald Bay.
Each home in this development is to be constructed at an
average estimated cost of $1.1 million.
In the overall result, a total investment of $122.1 million is
projected.
Also in the Exumas, my Government recently concluded a Heads
of Agreement with Holmes Company Ltd., for the development of a major
eco-sensitive resort on Crab Cay and Little Crab Cay near George Town,
Exuma. This resort represents a $243
million resort development and will be executed in two phases.
Phase 1, which is anticipated to be completed within 3 years
from commencement, consists of an up-market residential community of fifty-four
oceanfront lots; a 20 room upscale hotel; and a marina with a minimum of 50
slips.
Phase 1 of this Crab Cay Development is expected to provide
at least 200 jobs for Bahamians. Phase
2 is expected to commence shortly thereafter and is to be completed within 2
years. This phase will include the
expansion of the hotel by 110 rooms and 30 villas as well as the construction
of additional resort amenities, including a Marina Village.
Several other significant developments have been completed
or are planned in the Cays to which the rich and famous are being attracted.
Let me hasten to assure you that all of these new
developments are eco-sensitive. They
will celebrate the natural pristine beauty and idyllic physical environment of
the Exumas. Working hand in hand with
the BEST Commission, each of the Developers will be held to strict
environmental protection protocols that will ensure the preservation of the
legendary beauty of the Exumas for future generations of Bahamians and visitors
alike. These same environmentally-sensitive
standards will be brought to bear on all resort developments in The Bahamas
wherever they may be.
BIMINI
My Government
is committed to the revitalization and expansion of the tourism plant in
Bimini, once known as the Big Game Fishing Capital of the World.
Towards this end, the Bimini Bay Resort Development will be
permitted to continue on a reasonable scale and in an environmentally sound
fashion.
Originally comtemplated as a $77
million development, the hotel, marina, residential home lots, condominium
attractions and other facilities will meet the regulatory requirements of the
various Government agencies.
Steady progress on this project is
now contemplated with the expectation that
construction and permanent jobs in significant numbers will be created.
Approval has also been granted for the acquisition and
re-development of the Bimini Big Game Fishing Club by Lou Sion Ng of Malaysia
and Mr. Eugene Wright, both of whom have extensive real estate and resort
interests in Florida. They will
construct an additional 52 hotel rooms and marina facilities and complete
construction by summer 2005. This will
create additional employment and guarantee better year round occupancy of the
resort.
An initiative
is also being pursued for the dredging of the channel entrance to Bimini Harbour
and installation of proper markers.
When completed, a significant increase is expected in revenues from
yachting and fishing.
ABACO
Among the more prominent new projects underway in Abaco is
the Abaco Club in Winding Bay at Cherokee Sound which is being developed by the
Carneige Club at a projected cost of $140 million. This exclusive resort will contain the first links golf course to
be built in The Bahamas. During the
construction and operation phases, the resort will employ 300 Bahamians.
Also in Abaco, Island Fresh Dairy Ltd. with its Bahamian and
American partners has proposed the establishment of a Dairy Farm and processing
plant and distribution facility. This
major farm initiative is projected to provide dairy products both for the local
and export markets.
BERRY ISLANDS
My Government is in the final stages of considering an
application from Pristine Resorts Ltd. to invest some $18 million in the
construction of a 20 room Boutique Hotel and Beach Club at Great Harbour
Cay. This resort will also include the
construction of 40 Beach Villas and the renovation of the existing golf course.
Approval has also been given for International Marina Ltd.
for the purchase of Chub Cay Resort.
The new owners plan to invest some $25 million in the re-development and
expansion of the marina and the construction of new hotel rooms and homes, with
a projected employment of some 40 Bahamians.
In nearby Whale Cay, an extensive upscale residential
development is in the advanced planning stages as well.
These 3 projects, together with cruise line ports of call
and other private residential development taking place at Great Harbour Cay,
will provide full employment and positively impact the local economy to an
extent not experienced in many a long year.
ANDROS
My Government
is pursing initiatives for the expansion of Bone Fishing Lodges throughout
Andros to be owned and operated by Bahamians.
Towards this end, special incentives will be granted to facilitate
enterprising Bahamians in taking advantage of the $500-600 million spent
annually around the world by anglers in fly fishing.
The Minister of Financial Services & Investments and The
Hotel Corporation of The Bahamas last year and again this year, facilitated the
participation of bone fishing lodge owners from Andros, Acklins and Grand
Bahama at the International Fly Fishing Convention in Denver, Colorado. As a result, they have been put in touch
with new markets and major suppliers of business and have established valuable
contacts which will impact favourably on the viability of Bone Fishing Lodges
in The Bahamas.
Other proposed projects on North Andros are at a preliminary
planning stage and involve both local and international investors.
CAT ISLAND
At Cat
Island, several projects require special mention :
·
A 100
cottage eco-sensitive resort, health club and spa is proposed for Lucky Mount
with an investment of $19.7 million employing some 100 persons;
·
A
$5-10 million resort expansion is also slated for Hawks Nest. It will include the construction of
additional rooms, spa, marina, second home cottages and reverse osmosis
plant. This project which has already
been approved will result in the employment of 39 additional Bahamians;
·
A
proposed $16 million project at Orange Creek Cat Island will include a boutique
hotel, spa, marina, beach club, residential homes and a bridge. This project is expected to create over 100
jobs.
The Club Med Resort Village at San
Salvador has undergone a multi-million dollar refurbishment. The Government has upgraded the airport so
that it now receives non-stop transatlantic charter flights. A major marketing initiative by Club Med
with cooperative support from the Government has provided positive results.
ELEUTHERA
I move now to Eleuthera, another of our major islands which
has also been economically depressed for a great many years.
I am especially pleased, therefore, to announce that two (2) major world-class resort projects by
Salsa Beach Ltd are at an advanced stage of planning on The Hotel Corporation
properties at Half Sound and Winding Bay and on Government lands at Hatchet
Bay. These projects will positively
impact the economy of the entire Island of Eleuthera and virtually eliminate
the unemployment problem that has afflicted Eleuthera for so long.
It is projected that a capital investment on the order of
$500 million will be made by the developers within five (5) years and some one billion dollars within ten (10) years.
Over five hundred (500)
construction jobs will be created and more than one thousand five hundred (1,500) permanent jobs should be
available upon completion.
The development at Half Sound and Winding Bay will include
§
Two (2) luxury resort hotels
§
An
exotic spa with centuries-perfected Oriental spa treatments
§
Upscale
homes and condominiums
§
A PGA
rated golf course; and
§
Live
Bahamian entertainment, world-class dining and other resort amenities.
At Hatchet Bay, Salsa Beach will create an adventure-seeking
and action-oriented sister resort to complement Half Sound and Winding Bay’s
more conservative atmosphere.
Close to Alice Town, along the rolling hills, on the
spectacular bluffs bordering the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, on the
highlands, among the pastures and pristine ponds of Hatchet Bay and Sweetings
Pond, Salsa Beach will engage world renowned planners to create the kind of
unique resort that will celebrate the landscape, natural beauty and rich
cultural traditions of Eleuthera.
§
The
Hatchet Bay development will boast a four star hotel with marina;
§
An 18-hole
PGA rated public golf course
§
Agricultural
school and local farms
§
Sports,
health and Wellness Centre affiliated with an internationally recognized
medical institution; and
§
Commercial
retail areas for Bahamian entrepreneurs.
In addition to the Salsa Beach resorts that I have just
mentioned, the Windermere Island North Development Ltd., spearheaded by Carry
Rich, has already embarked upon a $75 million capital investment in Central
Eleuthera (on Windermere Island). This
particular development will embrace a luxury 50 suite hotel, spa, upmarket
homes and cottages. This project, which
is already in progress, is expected to engage the services of some 200
construction workers and 200 permanent employees.
Several miles to the south, Governor’s Harbour Resort &
Marina Ltd. has acquired the former Club Med property. This Developer plans to invest up to forty
million dollars ($40,000,000) in a luxury hotel, villas, marina and other
facilities. This development should
generate 75 construction jobs and up to 150 permanent jobs.
Clearly, the people of Eleuthera are in for a new and long
overdue era of unprecedented economic expansion and prosperity.
WEST GRAND BAHAMA
I have saved
the biggest and the best of the new Family Island developments for last.
I am pleased to announce tonight that the Government has
received a proposal by the Ginn Development Company of Orlando, Florida for a
joint venture with the present investors of Old Bahama Bay for the development
of the entire Two Thousand One Hundred and Fifty (2,150) Acres of the
Old Sammons property. This development
will encompass a world-class Resort, Condominium, Golf Course, Residential, and
Yachting Community.
I need to talk in some detail about this particular project
because the magnitude of it is truly staggering. It envisions a total investment of 2.5 Billion Dollars
over Eighteen (18) years in Western Grand Bahama.
The present Old Bahama Bay Resort, which has made
significant strides over the past five presently consists of a modern Seventy-two
(72) slip marina; Fifty-five (55) villa/hotel units; and
Ninety-two (92) residential lots.
There has been quite a stir lately because one of the greatest film
stars in Hollywood, John Travolta, has made a major purchase there and a
heliport has been constructed on site to meet his specific requirements.
The Ginn Master Plan, which you see on the colour map [ts1]on the screen, calls for 2-Eighteen
(18) hole signature Golf Courses; Three (3) Marinas with
approximately Six Hundred (600) slips; and the re-opening of the airport
as a private non-commercial airstrip with forty-seven (47) runway access
lots.
A total of Three Thousand Eight Hundred and Eighty (3,880)
units are planned for the Project. The
new units will consist of One Thousand Two Hundred and Seventy-five (1,275)
condominium units, and One Thousand Four Hundred and Forty-nine (1,449)
residential lots. These will be
supported by time-share condominiums as well.
Because of the gigantic dimensions of the Ginn project, it
will be developed over a ten (10) to twenty (20) year period.
It is expected that over Seven Hundred (700) direct
jobs will be created in the first Five (5) years of the project,
climbing to over One Thousand Four Hundred (1,400) direct jobs within
Ten (10) years.
Government revenues from the Ginn Project and the sale of
residential lots, villas, condominiums and otherwise are projected to exceed $45
Million Dollars over the first five (5) years, growing exponentially
as the properties are developed and then resold.
It is also important for you to grasp the transforming,
uplifting effect that the Ginn Project will have on the Settlement of West End
which has languished for so long in the shadow of Freeport.
In that regard, I am pleased to
advise that a major component of the Project will be a public/private
partnership between Old Bahama Bay and the Government to rehabilitate and
beautify the West End Settlement, and to refurbish and establish the Village
and its unique boardwalk potential as a stand-alone tourist destination.
I envision for West End Village a spectacular renaissance
and revitalization beyond its imagination.
It is destined to emerge as the “Key West” of The Bahamas. With its boardwalks by the sea and its
incredible vistas, the West End Village will house dozens of Bahamian-owned and
operated restaurants and shops selling international merchandise and Bahamian
crafts while catering to the tourist and Bahamian alike in a truly authentic
Bahamian Village atmosphere.
Let me assure you that this is no pie-in-the sky
project. I know the Ginn Development
Group and have visited their headquarters and several of their ongoing luxury
development projects in Florida. They
are no strangers to developments on this colossal scale. Indeed, in the past Ten (10) years,
they have developed and completed no less than Sixteen (16) projects
such as the one I show you here tonight.
I have assured the Ginn group that my Government is
committed to bringing the Project on line as speedily as possible. We have therefore agreed to complete a Heads
of Agreement as quickly as possible so that this Project can be underway early
in the New Year.
NEW PROVIDENCE AND
PARADISE ISLAND
The success, size and spectacular appeal of Atlantis on
Paradise Island make it today one of the world’s leading resort
destinations. The six hundred million
($600,000,000) Phase III expansion by Kerzner International will further
consolidate their commanding position. This
major expansion, which will bring Kerzner International’s total investment in
The Bahamas to $1.7 billion, represents an eloquent expression of confidence in
this Government and the people of The Bahamas as well as the future of our
tourism industry.
Under the new Heads of Agreement that my Government has
negotiated with Kerzner International, over 1,500 persons will be employed
during construction and a minimum number of 2,000 additional direct permanent
jobs will be created. Factoring in the
entrepreneurial spin-offs, almost double that number of new indirect jobs will
be generated.
It should be clear to all of us, then, just how vitally
important the Atlantis Resort is to our national tourism industry. The fact
that Kerzner International has committed itself to the Phase III expansion is
therefore especially gratifying.
By contrast, except for one or two properties, the Cable
Beach resort district is, sad to say, in continuing decline. It is run-down, hum-drum, and lacking in
appeal to our visitors.
My Government has therefore given the highest priority to :
1). The sale by The
Hotel Corporation of The Bahamas of the Radisson Cable Beach Resort & Golf
Club; and
2). Identifying
investors capable of purchasing the Radisson, other adjacent undeveloped
properties of the Corporation, adjoining hotels; and the re-development of the
entire area into a first class tourism mecca.
I am pleased to confirm that intensive negotiations are now
taking place with interested parties who have submitted proposals. These parties have the resources and the
international standing in the tourism industry to bring breathtaking splendour
to Cable Beach in a way that will complement the Atlantis product.
A team of officials, supported by advisors from one of the
world’s leading hospitality specialty firms, is working assiduously under my
personal direction to conclude the best possible agreement so that the way can
be cleared for the much needed resurgence of Cable Beach as an exciting
destination for visitors to our shores.
RENEWAL AND RE-DEVELOPMENT OF CITY OF NASSAU
As it stands today, Nassau is the most visited port of call
in the entire Caribbean. Tourists, however, are forever complaining about
having little to do. They also complain
that the city is drab, dirty and unattractive.
And let’s be honest about it : they are dead right! Indeed, it should be a source of shame for
all of us that every year we invite millions of visitors to visit a city that
is so visually unappealing.
We have to change that and we must do so without delay. To
meet that challenge, my Government has assembled a group under the
co-chairmanship of Mr. George Mackey, Chairman of the Bahamas Antiquities,
Monuments & Museums Corporation, and Mr. Norman Solomon, and comprising
other members of both the private and public sectors.
The mandate of this group is to develop a plan for the
transformation of Bay Street, the old city and the waterfront into one of the
most attractive harbour cities in the hemisphere.
To effect this transformation, my Government has
specifically mandated the creation of a Master Plan for the transformation of
the geographical area encompassing downtown Nassau from Arawak Cay to
Montague. This Master Plan will focus
on immediate, short-term and long-term re-development and beautification with
emphasis on:
a.
Improving
the appearance of the port including the possible relocation of commercial
shipping to other more appropriate coastal locations in the southwestern area
of New Providence;
b.
Beautifying,
restoring or otherwise enhancing the East Bay Street area; the Straw Market and
surrounding area; the Arawak Cay area; and Montague Beach; and
c.
Creating
a more scenic route between the airport and downtown Nassau.
CLIFTON
With so many development projects coming on stream at the
same time, there is a very real danger that we will face an acute manpower
shortage and, in particular, a shortage of specialist skills.
In order to avert that, and in order to maximize the
employment of Bahamians in high-end and specialist, skills-based jobs, my
Government, as a matter of policy, has adopted the position that all Heads of
Agreement should obligate Developers to institute manpower training programmes
in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, The Bahamas Technical and
Vocational Institute and, where applicable, The College of The Bahamas.
This is absolutely essential if we are to ensure that our
own people, especially our young people, are properly trained to take advantage
of the numerous and varied opportunities for lucrative employment that all
these new resort developments will be opening up for them. We have to get ready. And to be ready we have to be properly
trained. There is no time to lose in
meeting this challenge.
Fellow
Delegates, Ladies & Gentlemen :
You have
heard me outline just some of the wonderful projects and development strategies
that are now in train and which together will positively transform not only the
economy of The Bahamas but the lives of Bahamians everywhere. This will be especially true for the Family
Islands. Not only will much needed
development be introduced but beyond that our dying communities will be revived
and the chronic population drain in the Family Islands will be reversed. All of this will result in stronger, more
vibrant Family Island Communities and, in the final analysis, a stronger, more
vibrant nation.
Any yet,
fellow delegates, after having heard all that I have had to say, there are
still some out there who will say “ they ain’t doin nuttin”.
Imagine
that!
We are
shepherding billions of dollars in new investments into the country that will
generate many thousands of new jobs and will create a whole new class of
Bahamian entrepreneurs, and yet they still say we aint’ doin nuttin!
We have
cleaned up the unholy mess the FNM left our country in. We have stabilized
public finances. We have notched up
levels of investor confidence that the FNM in 10 years could only dream
of. And yet, they still say we are a
do-nothing government!
Well, I
come here to tell you tonight that the Devil is a liar!
But pay
them no mind, my brothers and sisters.
While they make noise in the market, we have a country to run. While they reap the whirlwind they sowed, we
are busy marching to a new frontier of economic opportunity. While they give themselves over to weeping
and gnashing of teeth, we, in the Progressive Liberal Party, in this our golden
anniversary year, are sinking our shovels into fertile soil in preparation for
a new harvest of prosperity for all our people. So, pay them no mind, fellow delegates.
Keep faith
with our Party and faith with each other.
Keep faith
with our mission for our mission today, 50 years on, is as it was in the
beginning 50 years ago : to build a great society of peace and prosperity for
all our people.
Go forth
from this Convention then; go forth from this Golden jubilee gathering of the
faithful to be of good service to your God, your country, and your
fellow-man.
Yes,
fellow delegates, we have set our course and we are holding steady. We are making good speed and our progress is
good!
Thank you and
may God bless you all!
PLP………..ALL
THE WAY
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