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Last Updated: May 19, 2017 - 11:22:26 PM |
FOCUSED ON GB – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Peter Turnquest (centre), Minister of State for Grand Bahama, Kwasi Thompson (left) and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Grand Bahama, Melvin Seymour (right) address the press on matters pertaining to Grand Bahama on Friday, May 19, 2017. (BIS photo by Vandyke Hepburn)
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FREEPORT, Grand Bahama -- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest and Minister of State for Grand Bahama in the office of the Prime Minister, the Hon. Kwasi Thompson on Friday met with existing Grand Bahama investors in the conference room of the Office of the Prime Minister, who are looking to significantly expand their investment on the island.
“It’s a signal of the possibilities that lie ahead for Grand Bahama,” said Mr. Turnquest, during an address with the media.
“As we promised during the election campaign, Grand Bahama is very important to the development of The Bahamas and so we’ve been focused on meeting with potential investors and with executives from the Grand Bahama Port Authority to bring onto the island investors who will help boost the economy of Grand Bahama in the shortest time possible.
“We just want to assure the Grand Bahama community that the Minister (of State for Grand Bahama) and the government is already focused on Grand Bahama; that we are actively soliciting investment and that we are actively giving signals to the investment community that we are open to business in a transparent manner.
“We want to encourage both international and domestic investors to seek us out and to be assured and confident that the Government of The Bahamas is focused on their success and reducing the number of roadblocks that would lead to such success.”
Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson said that the Ministry of Grand Bahama’s focus will be driven on investment and making the experience for investors to the island smoother and easier.
He said that the meeting with investors in Grand Bahama and executives from the Grand Bahama Port Authority signaled the fact that the Ministry, with the backing of the Government, is open and ready to meet with local and international investors.
“We are inviting those investors who are interested to seek us out, knowing that we will operate with transparency,” said Minister Thompson. “We have also heard that many investors are happy with the new government and with the emphasis which the Prime Minister has placed on Grand Bahama.
“Let me say again, the Ministry of Grand Bahama has not been dismantled, but it has been incorporated fully into the office of the Prime Minister. In fact, it has been strengthened by incorporating it into the Office of the Prime Minister.”
Deputy Prime Minister Turnquest said their first order of business is to assure investors that Grand Bahama is a stable environment and that they won’t have to be worried about their investment and improving the ease of doing business in Grand Bahama.
“We are committed to streamlining the investment process,” said Minister Turnquest. “We are committed to ensuring that our investors get the kind of attention that they deserve and that their investments would also be beneficial to the economy and residents of Grand Bahama.
“And when we talk about investors, we’re not only talking about international investors, but we’re also talking about Bahamian investors. We are very interested in encouraging local persons with entrepreneurial desires to come forward so that we can see how we can design programs to assist them.
“We want to make BAIC more effective and we want to make the services at the Ministry of Grand Bahama more effective for our local entrepreneurs to ensure that we strengthen our middle class, we strengthen our business community and begin to attract a more lively population here in Grand Bahama.”
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