WHAT DO THEY WANT IN FREEPORT? WHAT DO THEY NEED?

The curious reaction of the people of Grand Bahama to the fact that the Government is seeking a change in the ownership of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, for their own good and in the face of the evidence that the existing shareholders cannot meet their obligations to the country, is that they don’t want Nassau to own the Port.  The fact is Nassau has been carrying the Port almost since its inception.  They have never been able to pay for the services which are provided to the city as the Hawksbill Creek Agreement envisages.  They cannot now fulfill their obligations to the city.  The Bahamas government has in fact been carrying the city for the past five years: fixing the infrastructure and supporting investment there.  The Grand Bahama Port Authority has walked away from most of its responsibilities.  In any event, the whole thing reverts to the Government in 2054, 31 short years from now.