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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
WELCOME ADDRESS
BRADLEY B. ROBERTS
NATIONAL CHAIRMAN
PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL PARTY
PLP MINI CONVENTION
INGRAHAM RESORT, ELEUTHERA,
Bahamas
21st JUNE 2014
Mr. Party Leader, the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance;
Mr. Deputy Leader, the Hon. Philip Brave Davis, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Urban Development;
Area representative for Central and South Eleuthera, the Hon. Damian Gomez.
Ministers of the Government; Parliamentarians; Speaker Oswald Ingraham, Clay Sweeting; Stalwart Councillors; Party Officers; Members; ladies and gentlemen a pleasant and brisk good morning and a hearty welcome.
Just over two years ago you the people of Central and South Eleuthera sent the Free National Movement packing after years of neglect, short sightedness and petty partisan politics. They refused to recognize the potential of the people and the natural resources of the people of Eleuthera. There was no plan to attract new direct investment, protect the waters from illegal poachers, revitalize your agriculture sector or provide you with much needed infrastructure to improve the quality of life for people of Eleuthera. I complained that you were a member of the family just as Abaco was and you deserved focused attention in these areas. You were denied important economic and educational opportunities in addition to necessary infrastructural upgrades that your hard earned tax dollars paid for. Further, Central and South Eleuthera, like many Family Islands was left a virtual ghost town with no viable economic prospects on the horizon.
Thankfully those days are behind us and we come together to celebrate a new day and a brighter future in the evolution of Central and South Eleuthera.
During the recent budget debate, many of you would have heard the Honourable Prime Minister announce to the Bahamian people of an imminent Heads of Agreement for the $100 Million dollar investment project for the construction of an upscale Four Seasons Resort in South Eleuthera near the settlement of Greencastle and Wemyss Bight. This is big news for Central and South Eleuthera as phase one this mixed use resort comprising 115 rooms, 40 cottages and golf course will provide hundreds of jobs in both the construction and operational phases.
We are moving ahead with the Cotton Bay Holdings Limited $10 million development of 1,500 acres of land comprising a community of 150 luxury residences with related amenities and golf course at Cotton Bay, Eleuthera.
Additionally, Eleuthera can look forward to the French Leave Marina Village development in Governor’s Harbour; the further expansion of the Coco Di Mama by a joint venture involving Bahamas Fastferries Ltd and I am sure South Eleuthera is looking forward to the opening of the Seashells hotel in the spring of 2015 under the esteemed management of Noble House.
Fellow Eleutherans, you are well aware of the Hatchet Bay farm and the large quantities of poultry, eggs, milk, not to mention Pineapples produced by Eleuthera when it was one of the breadbasket regions of The Bahamas. You are very familiar with building full service economies in the areas of agriculture and fisheries and providing food security for the nation.
With the establishment of the Bahamas Agriculture Marine Resources Scientific Institute or BAMSI, it is my expectation that you would take full advantage of economic opportunities BAMSI will provide through commercial satellite farms and modernized Packing Houses transformed into agri-business centers. This is in keeping with the government’s commitment to diversify the Bahamian economy, create a new cadre of Bahamian entrepreneurs and professionals and promote food security while reducing our huge national food import bill.
Like I said in North Andros on 22nd February, the ground has been broken; the Banana suckers and lime trees have been planted; the faculty residences are being renovated and over $20 million in contracts granted to local contractors for the development of a state of the art training and research institute with a commercial tutorial farm. BAMSI will open its doors for training in September 2014.
Additionally, airlifts to Eleuthera are on the increase, your hospital is on the way, your school is on the way in addition to other infrastructural developments so there are brighter days ahead for Eleuthera. I would be remiss if I did not mention that the first of nine defense force vessels has arrived in the capital. The $232 million Sandy Bottom project involving the purchase of 9 vessels and other infrastructural works are proof positive of this government’s unwavering commitment to the protection of our marine resources. This is vitally important to Eleuthera, one of the largest seafood production centers in the Bahamas.
So after 22 years of neglect under an uncaring FNM government, Eleuthera is taking its rightfull place among the family of islands. Your better days are clearly ahead of you. Eleuthera is on the move again and the government’s commitment to the sustained growth and development of Eleuthera is manifesting itself in tangible ways – YOU CAN SEE IT; YOU CAN FEEL IT AND YOU CAN TOUCH IT! The jobs are not being promised next week, next month or next year – the jobs are being created now for the people of Andros.
Now as I told Androsians a few months ago, Central and South Eleuthera will not transform by itself. It needs the full participation of every one of you here this morning. Elauthera is not a separate entity from you –YOU ARE ELEUTHERA AND IT CAN ONLY GO AS FAR AS YOU ALLOW IT! Take advantage of all opportunities and realize your full potential as you continue to lead the transformation of Eleuthera into one of the major the breadbasket centers of The Bahamas and a major center of commerce, trade, education and entertainment through diversified tourism product offerings and entrepreneurial opportunities.
On the social front, just as the National Youth Restorative Program in conjunction with YEAST must be re-launched in North Andros, Urban Renewal must expand its social outreach into the communities of Central and South Eleuthera. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers and no Bahamian child, youth or family should be left behind.
I close by sending out a clarion call to all of Eleuthera to return to the traditional values that defined Eleuthera: rekindle that spirit and embellish your sense of community; be the village that raises a child and promote love and peace.
THE NAME ELEUTHERA MEANS FREEDOM SO RISE UP CENTRAL AND SOUTH ELEUTHERA FOR IT IS YOUR TIME TO CLAIM ECONOMIC FREEDOM! DO NOT BE PARALYZED BY DOUBT, POVERTY AND PESSIMISM. SIEZE THE MOMENT ELEUTHERA, REALIZE YOUR FULL POTENTIAL AND BE THE SELF SUFFICIENT ISLAND THAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO BE. FEED THE BAHAMAS ONCE AGAIN AS YOU DID BEFORE! LINK YOUR AGRICULTURAL SECTOR WITH YOUR TOURISM SECTOR THEREBY CREATING MORE JOB AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR PEOPLE. TAKE YOUR RIGHTFUL PLACE WITHIN THE FAMILY OF ISLANDS BY UTILIZING THE FULL BOUNTY OF GOD GIVEN RESOURCES TO PROPELL THIS COUNTRY FORWARD.
PLP!….PLP!…PLP!
© Copyright 2014 by thebahamasweekly.com
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