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News : Bahamas Information Services Updates Last Updated: Nov 20, 2017 - 2:07:02 PM


‘Talk about the opportunities, and Sell the strengths’ Minister Thompson tells Grand Bahamians
By Andrew Coakley
Nov 20, 2017 - 1:48:56 PM

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TALKING ECONOMICS – Minister of State for Grand Bahama, Senator Kwasi Thompson (left) chats with Gowon Bowe, president of the Bahamas institute of Chartered Accountants before of the start of BICA’s seminar in Grand Bahama on Saturday, November 18, 2017. Minister Thompson was the guest speaker for the first session on Saturday. (BIS Photo/Andrew Coakley)

FREEPORT, Grand Bahama - Minister of State for Grand Bahama in the Office of The Prime Minister, Senator Kwasi Thompson says it is important for people to choose carefully the words they use to describe Grand Bahama in its current state.

In his address of the Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA) during its seminar held in Grand Bahama on Saturday, November 18, 2017, as part of Accountant’s Week, the Minister noted that words matter and how Grand Bahamians choose to describe themselves will matter to someone looking to invest in the island.

“There are opportunities available in and for Grand Bahama,” said Minister Thompson, “we are not dead or closed. And it is those opportunities that we should be talking about and selling our strengths, which we certainly have lots of.”

Focusing on the Association’s theme for their seminar in Grand Bahama, which was “Preparing Grand Bahama for regional and global opportunities,” Minister Thompson noted that the theme was in perfect alignment with his government’s mandate: to bring economic growth and relief to the island of Grand Bahama.

The Minister pointed out that the government, over the past six months since taking office, had begun the process of revitalizing Grand Bahama through initiatives geared toward diversifying the island’s economy, taking steps aimed at improving the ease of doing business, strengthening the island’s tourism product, and entrepreneurial and small business job creation.

With excitement, which he says is inevitable whenever he speaks about revitalizing Grand Bahama, Senator Thompson painstakingly outlined some of those initiatives and programs that have been, or will be, carried out by the government to help in restoration of Grand Bahama’s economy.

He spoke about the recent Tech Summit held in Grand Bahama over a week ago, which was designed to lay the foundation in building the Second City as the Tech Hub of The Bahamas. “The Government believes that Grand Bahama has the potential to become the Silicon Valley of the Caribbean,” said Minister Thompson. “We believe that this can and should become the third pillar of our economy.

“There are real opportunities for data centers, some of which have already applied for cyber security industries, for block chain technology, Data Protection and Security, Business Incorporation Center and Technology Corporate Headquarters and conferences.”

Minister Thompson also noted that Grand Bahama has the opportunity to be the leader in a market that it alone has – and that is the stopover cruise market.

Grand Bahama has huge potential to capitalize on the stopover visitor market

with launch of a new fast ferry – FRS – which sails between Freeport and Miami; with the existing service of Balearia fast ferry between Freeport and Fort Lauderdale; and with the Celebration cruise ship that sails between Freeport and West Palm Beach.   “We are in discussions with Balearia, which has already committed to increasing its calls.   We have negotiated the addition of the SS Classica, which will bring twice as many stopover passengers to Freeport,” said Minister Thompson.

The Minister said Grand Bahama has economic opportunities in agriculture as a supplemental industry, and the government has already heard proposals on developing farming in East End that it hopes can be made reality.

He said there are economic opportunities in light manufacturing.  Recent negotiations took place between the government and Wind River Tobacco Company to bring their manufacturing plant to Grand Bahama, which would provide much-needed jobs for Grand Bahamians.

With so many opportunities becoming available to revitalize Grand Bahama’s economy, Minister Thompson noted, it becomes important to increase the ease of doing business in The Bahamas, particularly Grand Bahama. “This will foster an environment for foreign investors, with whom we collaborate to stimulate the economy and create jobs for Bahamians,” added Minister Thompson.

“My government is actively working to establish the Grand Bahama Investment Unit, which will mirror the Bahamas Investment Authority, located in the capital.  With this unit, “we will be able to quickly see investment requests for Grand Bahama through from start to finish, thereby creating more work opportunities for Bahamians.”


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