Bahamas News

Some members of the Official Opposition have ongoing worries about the continued closure of the Royal Oasis Resort, but the government’s chief negotiator for investments Sir Baltron Bethel assured Tuesday “the matter is still moving forward.”

Meanwhile, Jethro Miller, the attorney for one of the groups seeking to purchase the property said the purchasers were still “putting the details together”.

Mr. Miller said his group has already satisfied Lehman Brothers – the resort’s mortgagee – that it is capable of purchasing the resort, but he said it’s the government that still needs to be convinced.

The attorney is affiliated with the joint venture team formed by Bahamian architect Lawrence Chisholm and Hotel Acquisition Corporation.

Reportedly, the government is still in talks with the Ireland-based Harcourt group, which is also interested in purchasing the Royal Oasis.

For some Grand Bahamians, the sale of the Royal Oasis is long overdue.

The Free National Movement’s candidate for Marco City, Zhivargo Laing, who is trained in economics, was among those who expressed this view.

“The closure of that hotel continues to be a great noose around the neck of our economy,” Mr. Laing said.

He said ever since the hotel closed it 2004 there has been a tremendous drain on the economy and Grand Bahamians are disappointed.

“The many promises and suggestions of possibly re-opening or the selling of that hotel has just not been forthcoming,” said Mr. Laing, who is a former minister of economic development in the Ingraham administration.

Hundreds of Grand Bahamians have still not found employment since the resort closed, he claimed.

High Rock MP Kenneth Russell – who has long pointed to the challenges facing the economy of Grand Bahama – shared a similar view.

“Many persons in Grand Bahama [have] suffered in the economy, and the main downfall of the economy is the closure of the Royal Oasis,” he said.

The Royal Oasis Resort closed in 2004 after it took a beating in Hurricane Frances. As a result, more than 1,000 Bahamians lost their jobs.

Mr. Russell said many of the former employees moved to New Providence, Exuma, and Abaco as result of the closure, and are still facing hard times.

“It saddens me to see the government has played this game with us all along because they have failed to cause finalization with the Royal Oasis and so-called possible buyers,” he said.

Although Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe and other government officials like Prime Minister Perry Christie have pointed to the positives of the Grand Bahamian economy, Mr. Russell insisted that it continues to face troubling times.

He said that this has had a negative effect on the international bizarre, small businesses and families in Grand Bahama, and the economy continues to sink deeper into poverty.

The prime minister has asked Grand Bahamians not to define their economy by the closure of the resort, and has on numerous occasions expressed optimism that a sale deal would been finalized soon.

By Myles Adderly
The Bahama Journal

Gaming in The Bahamas is poised for an expansion, according to Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe who referred to a number of new proposals on the drawing board.

Mr. Wilchcombe, who has Cabinet responsibility for gaming, told the Bahama Journal that the government is actively trying to assist hotel developers with what the he called “the amenity of gaming,” but within limits.

The minister said that The Bahamas has been “progressively moving” in gaming, pointing to the fairly recent introduction of sports betting – which he said has been going “quite well.”

He also indicated that an expansion in the gaming offerings available within The Bahamas is soon to come.

“Atlantis has new proposals they are discussing with us right now, and you’re going to continuously receive applications. For instance, in Grand Bahama we have Fortuna seeking a casino license,” he disclosed.

“So every day there are new groups looking for new opportunities because gaming is a big attraction. But you know, in The Bahamas it has been more of an amenity than an industry, and that is the question we have to grapple with as we move forward.”

There are concerns about the legislative environment. Mr. Wilchcombe acknowledged the worries about the regulatory regime that would ensure that no laws are broken.

“Of course, whatever we do is always with limitations because (you must answer such questions as) how are you going to manage it, how are you going to monitor what is going on? So yes, we are aware that there are requests coming in almost every day for different forms of gaming by the hotel establishments,” he said.

“And we’re certainly looking at them,” he added.

He said even some of the more developed societies are still having to grapple with difficulties of monitoring legislation and ensuring the enforcement of whatever regulatory laws exist in a particular jurisdiction.

“We are not as advanced, but certainly we’ve been working with our advisors in London to determine how far we can move now, and what we have to do progressively to get to the stage where we can offer some of the new attractions to the amenities that we do have in The Bahamas,” Mr. Wilchcombe said.

The minister said the government is aware of circumstances in which laws may be infringed by players the gaming industry, though he would not cite specific instances.

“But each time that we become aware, what we do is we ask the Gaming Board to pay closer attention to what is going on. Our first obligation is to make sure that the hotel establishments that are participating in gaming are fulfilling their obligations and they are maintaining their high standards. That’s the expectation of our jurisdiction,” Mr. Wilchcombe said.

“So, to that extent we’ve had no difficulties. But of course we know that there is always someone trying something new.”

Looking at the competition, Mr. Wilchcombe pointed out that Macao outperformed Las Vegas in earnings last year, and has moved into the more modern gaming industry.

“It just tells you,” Mr. Wilchcombe said, “as long as we’re in the tourism industry, we have an obligation to maintain our progressive thinking and we cannot shun our minds from any new thoughts that are being considered.”

“And so on each occasion, we have to look at them and see how we proceed.”

He said there was a paper on his desk “right now” that speaks to moving the gaming sector of The Bahamas’ tourism product from “an amenity” to “an industry,” but since he hasn’t discussed it with the London consultants it hasn’t made it to Cabinet for discussion yet.

The government has committed to allocating an estimated $12 million per year or $1 million per month to fund increases in the pensions of 26,312 people throughout the country.

A resolution brought to the House of Assembly this week by Prime Minister Perry Christie is one of the first crucial steps made to give effect to the increases through an amendment to the National Insurance Act.

If approved, it would become the first adjustment to pensions since 2001 when minimum contributory pensions were increased from $210 to $230 per month and assistance pensions were increased from $180 to $200 per month, according to the Prime Minister.

The last adjustment he said, that impacted higher income pensioners occurred in 1999.

House Members were told that the proposed increase would be applied in three ways.

According to Mr. Christie, who once served as the Minister of National Insurance in the Pindling administration, persons who were awarded the retirement benefit at age 65 years or older and who now receive the minimum amount of $230, will get $270.

Persons, he said, who were awarded the benefit at age 64 years and who receive $220.80 per month will get $259.20 and persons who were awarded the benefit at age 60 to 63 years, who are receiving $205 monthly would be bumped up to $250 per month.

“The proposed increases are designed to first provide a reasonable replacement of their lost value of the pension due to the effects of inflation since the start of the pension or the last adjustment,” the Prime Minister explained.

“One dollar awarded in 1990, for example, will have a reduced purchasing value today. A dollar in 1990 could perhaps have purchased a tin of cream and a tin of sardines. Today, it would barely cover the cost of the sardines. The proposed increases will help to maintain the purchasing power of the pension.”

The Prime Minister further explained that persons who receive invalidity, adult survivors or industrial death benefits at $230 per month would now get $270 monthly once the amendment takes effect.

If passed, the resolution would ensure that dependent children who receive survivors/industrial death benefits at the rate of $95 per month would get a $15 increase to $110.

Benefits to dependent orphans would be increased to the flat rate of $125 per month.

“Those assessed at 100 percent disablement would receive an increase from $230 to $270 per month,” said Prime Minister Christie.

“Secondly, increases would also be applied to pensions that currently exceed the respective minimum pension rates and these increases would be based on the start date of the pension.”

Mr. Christie noted that for persons who were awarded pensions in 1998 or before, a 15 percent increase has been proposed; those awarded in 1999 and 2000 would receive a 12 percent increase, and an eight percent increase would be approved for individuals awarded pensions in 2001 and 2002.

Pensioners as of 2003 and 2004 are to receive a five percent jump in payment and for those awarded in 2005, 2006 and up to February 2007 there is a proposed increase of three percent.

The increases are to take effect for deposits at bank accounts on April 12th and for distribution at pay stations on April 19th.

According to the Prime Minister, for those whose payments go directly into bank accounts, there would be two deposits made; for those who collect payments at pay stations, there would be two cheques.

“One deposit/cheque will represent the old pension amount, the other deposit/cheque will represent the amount of the pension increases for March and April,” Mr. Christie said.

Courtesy of The Bahama Journal

Minister of Works and Utilities Bradley Roberts yesterday completed a crucial hurdle for essential infrastructure work in settlements from north to south Eleuthera as he declared that the Christie Government has effected a major transformation in Eleuthera’s economy over the last five years.

The minister traveled to the island to sign several contracts for the repaving and repair and initial paving of roads in south, central and north Eleuthera including Current Island.

The contracts were valued at over $7.4 million in total with only three local contractors securing them. Works officials used an evaluation criterion where each of the contractors was awarded one part of the road work.

Nu View Construction Co. was awarded the south Eleuthera roadwork package at its tendered sum of $1.3 million plus a 10 percent contingency for a total of $1.4 million, according to Minister Roberts. Symonette Enterprises Ltd. was awarded the central Eleuthera road works package at the lowest tendered sum of $2.8 million along with a 10 percent contingency for a total package of $3 million. Eleuthera Pavers was awarded the third contract at a total of $2.9 million inclusive of the same ten percent contingency.

“During these past five years, the rehabilitation of the roads throughout The Bahamas has been a high priority for my ministry and the Perry Christie Government,” said Minister Roberts.

“The record will show that we have carried our road rehabilitation projects extending from Grand Bahama in the north down to Acklins Island in the southern Bahamas.

“The main roads here on Eleuthera and on Harbour Island were enhanced and so is the main road on Russell Island which connects to Spanish Wells.”

In north Eleuthera the work is expected to concentrate on some 4 miles of the Queen’s Highway, north of the Glass Window Bridge along with 28,000 square yards of road verge. In Lower Bogue, the work is to target 1.5 miles of side roads along with 7,500 square yards of road verge. In Upper Bogue, a half mile of roadway is to be paved and in the Bluff the concentration will be on one mile of roadway.

In the central part of the island the contractors are to complete work on 3 miles of main roads in Governor’s Harbour and James Cistern; approximately 3.5 miles of side roads and 5.5 miles of road in Palmetto Point and Savannah Sound.

Reconstruction of settlement roads in the island’s south is expected to focus on 5.2 miles of roadway in total and the clearing of approximately 20,000 square feet of road verges.

Minister Roberts explained that the contract signings came after technical officers in his ministry completed the survey of the civil works required to have the repairs done.

He also expressed enthusiasm about the economic advancements made in Eleuthera.

“I must express my personal joy and satisfaction that there has been a major transformation in the economy of Eleuthera from north to south since the Christie Government came to office in 2002,” said Mr. Roberts.

“The jobs promised have been delivered, so said, so done. The enhancement of the settlement roads on this island and Current Island will add to the quality of life for the residents of Eleuthera.”

Minister Roberts said the last time any extensive repair and reconstruction of roads was done in Eleuthera was over 30 years ago.

Courtesy of The Bahama Journal

A leading international lending institution has classified The Bahamas as having “moderate levels of public debt” in a detailed report in which the bank sought to analyze the nature and evolution of sovereign debt in the region.

The issue was thoroughly evaluated in The 2007 Report on Economic and Social Progress in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Analysts made the point about the debt structure in The Bahamas despite the country’s public debt growing at a fast pace, especially over the 2000-2003 period.

Back in that period, total public debt was much higher than central government debt, with the debt of public enterprises being above 10 percent of GDP. This led to a level of debt in the general government of close to 50 percent of GDP.

“Traditionally, The Bahamas has had a debt structure similar to that of industrial countries, with almost all debt issued domestically and denominated in domestic currency,” said the last IDB report on debt. “However, over 2002-2003, external central government debt more than doubled (this was partly compensated for by a reduction in the external debt of state-owned enterprises).”

The International Monetary Fund projected that growth will continue to accelerate reaching 6.5 percent for the fiscal year 2006-07 and 6.7 percent for 2007-08.

Prime Minister Perry Christie maintained that the government has “responsibly” managed the national debt.

The national debt of The Bahamas, which took into account the guaranteed debt of public corporations advanced by $194.9 million to $2.7 billion by the end of last year, according to government records.

However, continued improvements in the economy led to a further reduction in the debt service ratio as a percentage of exports of goods and services and as a percentage of government revenue from 3.4 percent and 2.7 percent to 2.8 percent and 1.0 percent respectively last year.

National figures also showed that on a calendar year basis, the rate of growth in the Direct Charge on the government slowed to $137.3 million or 6.5 percent from $161.7 million or 8.4 percent in 2004. Meantime Bahamian dollar debt advanced by 7.5 percent last year compared to the growth of 10.1 percent in the previous year while the level of foreign debt remained relatively unchanged.

Courtesy of The Bahama Journal

Like Bahamian and Haitian officials, the Organization of American States (OAS) patently realizes that the provision and maintenance of jobs is the key to unlocking the destitution facing many Haitians and desperate measures that are forcing many of them to risk their lives at sea in search of better conditions.

The OAS in a tangible effort to turn things around for the better is coordinating a trade and investment forum that will be held in Haiti in early May, to help attract investment in tourism and other economic sectors and to spur greater opportunities for Haitians.

OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza said that the ability to maintain positive trends in Haiti “will depend on the prospects for job creation,” among other factors.

In fact, in speaking to member state ambassadors and the observers at a Permanent Council meeting he said the OAS is now more optimistic than ever before, as “some funds have started to flow” to help address the most urgent needs of Haitians.

The extent to which this becomes successful or not could affect The Bahamas. The majority of illegal immigrants here are Haitian nationals. Up to last week, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force had intercepted around 600 of them so far this year. In an incident that happened earlier in the month 10 Haitians lost their lives in trying to seal their dream of better living conditions.

The reality on the ground in Haiti is that there are ongoing issues like how slowly projects are executed, the high cost of holding elections and some security concerns.

Haiti’s Ambassador to The Bahamas Louis Harold Joseph has gone on record with The Bahama Journal about his country’s needs and what it would take to reverse the boatloads of his compatriots who continue to make the treacherous voyage from their homeland.

“That situation will not stop if we cannot provide jobs to the people in Haiti,” he said. “It is why it is important that we continue to work, to invest in our country to attract investments because the reason why they are coming is economic. They are looking for opportunities. They’re looking for jobs.”

Mr. Joseph contended that economic development does not happen overnight.

In February 2004, former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was forced out of office in a violent coup.

Mr. Joseph said a lot has changed in Haiti since then – for the better.

“I can tell you today, we are better than 2004,” he said. “The situation is better in Haiti.”

The OAS also recognizes the improvements. They were chronicled in the organization’s bi-annual report on the situation in that country. Mr. Insulza delivered a copy to a Permanent Council meeting recently, chaired by St. Kitts and Nevis Ambassador Izben Williams, the Council’s Vice Chair.

Among the positive developments highlighted in the report—which covered the last six months of 2006—was the formation and installation of an historic 18-member multi-party cabinet within three weeks of President René Préval taking office last May. The cabinet brought together the Lespwa, Fanmi Lavalas, OPL, Fusion, MIDH and Alyans parties, led by Prime Minister Jacques Édouard Alexis.

State modernization and the creation of economic opportunity were given renewed priority, and a Social Appeasement Program was created to fast-track community development.

Secretary General Insulza noted that municipal and local government elections as well as legislative elections were held, completing the electoral cycle begun with the vote that brought President Préval to power earlier in the year.

The OAS recognized another significant development as Haiti’s reincorporation into the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

“There was also a period of relative calm,” he said.

But there are still areas that require focused attention in Haiti. Despite President Préval’s call for dialogue there was rising violence.

The OAS’ continuing support in one of the region’s most impoverished countries in the world has included the civil registry project, under which the OAS has assisted with the production and distribution of identification cards.

The Bahamas government spends more than $1 million every year repatriating Haitian immigrants.

Illegal immigration, in fact, is expected to be a key issue as The Bahamas’ election campaign season moves into full gear.

Courtesy of The Bahama Journal

An American investment banker has denied claims by Bahamas FilmInvest International head Owen Bethel that he has been making false statements to the media and putting his personal interests above the good of the Bahamas Film Studios after a recent film deal fell apart.

Bahamas FilmInvest International has been trying to purchase Bahamas Film Studios.

Ross Fuller, chairman of Ashby Corporation, which owns and controls Bahamas Film Studios, said Friday that Mr. Bethel was manipulating the news media to make himself look good.

Mr. Fuller said he is not prepared to conduct contract negotiations through the press.

Recently, Ashby Corporation announced that the memorandum of agreement (MOA) that it had entered into with Bahamas FilmInvest International (BFI) for the sale of Bahamas Film Studios had lapsed and BFI had failed to adhere to certain requirements under the agreement.

Ashby said BFI did not make payments to an environmental firm as planned, failed to obtain governmental approvals within the timeframe of the agreement, failed to obtain governmental documents, and did not negotiate an acceptable extension.

BFI immediately fired back, claiming that Mr. Fuller “failed to carry out all of his obligations under the MOA, but nonetheless [BFI] remained ready and worked to conclude a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

In a press release, BFI said it believed that Mr. Fuller and his companies were attempting to pressure negotiations and claimed that Mr. Fuller was attempting to “deflect responsibility for his obligations to his creditors.”

But in an interview with the Bahama Journal, Mr. Fuller said he is simply “trying to get the project to work.”

“I seem to be the only person who has put money into the project consistently over the past three years. It comes out my pocket every week for salaries. It doesn’t come out of Owen’s and that certainly isn’t putting me ahead of the project,” he said.

“He’s just positioning himself with the news media to manipulate the news people so that he sounds like the white knight and one who can force his way with public opinion to change the reality that he defaulted on the agreement.”

But in a press statement, Mr. Bethel said BFI remained “ready, willing and able to conclude” the multimillion-dollar purchase of the assets of the Bahamas Film Studios.

Mr. Fuller said he is not opposed to working with Mr. Bethel and his group, but first, he said they would have to meet certain arrangements.

“If they came back and made a reasonable offer and met the terms and closed within a time period that is reasonable, of course I would have no problem with that, but they have constantly tried to change the times, the terms, the demands and they have not met the obligations under the memorandum of agreement. I met all of them and the contract speaks for itself,” he said.

Mr. Fuller said he has pumped $17 million into the project so far.

“That’s the [monetary] limit of my ability and I told that to the government when I first took over from the prior investors,” he said.

“Mr. Bethel has not proven to me that he could put in more than $250,000 so far; I’m sure that he can; I believe that he has the ability to raise the money, but he can’t seem to come up with the funds to pay me, so I really question whether they have the ability or not.”

Mr. Fuller said he didn’t have any other offers on the table.

“I don’t have any other offers; if I did I’d be signing one. I’m talking with a number of other people, and yes, they are solid. They are people who I believe to be more solid than the people Mr. Bethel represents,” he said.

“I don’t plan to conduct contract negotiations in the press, unlike Mr. Bethel.”

In its press statement, BFI said that it remained committed to: “infuse additional millions of dollars into the project to develop the 3,500 acres of land owned by the government of the Bahamas on Grand Bahama Island, which Mr. Fuller and his companies have been unable to do.”

BFI signed an agreement with Mr. Fuller and his companies late last year to acquire assets of Bahamas Film Studios.

BFI representatives reportedly met with government officials to discuss obtaining approvals for the sale, which was a contingency of the agreement.

The statement said while the agreement did not require BFI to assume the $10 million plus debt owed by Mr. Fuller and the companies he controlled, BFI entered into discussions with both FirstCaribbean International Bank and United Insurance Company to bail out Mr. Fuller.

Through March 13, BFI and Mr. Fuller were reportedly actively negotiating to reach a final contract and dealing with each other as if the agreement was in full force and effect.

BFI said it believed that Mr. Fuller was proceeding in good faith.

On March 8, Mr. Fuller stated publicly in an Ashby Corporation press release that he expected an agreement with BFI. In fact, the parties reached a substantial agreement on the terms of the agreement, including provisions for relieving Mr. Fuller of the $10 million debt he owed, according to BFI.

In the statement, BFI said it was disappointed that Mr. Fuller “in just the last few days, appears to have altered his position 180 degrees.”

Mr. Bethel said Mr. Fuller, through his company, Ashby, announced on March 15 that the agreement had lapsed and falsely stated that BFI had defaulted under the agreement.

“This was the first BFI learned of any alleged defaults. For example, payment to the environmental firm was conditional on BFI receiving approval from the government to take over the project and the successful closing of the deal, and therefore, not a default as Mr. Fuller stated,” the statement said.

“Since any defaults under the MOA were by Mr. Fuller and his companies, Mr. Fuller’s false statements to the contrary could only be taken as efforts to pressure BFI in negotiations or as an ill-conceived attempt to deflect responsibility for his obligations to his creditors and to divert regulatory authorities and the Bahamian public’s attention from his own failures in developing the project.”

By Rogan M Smith
The Bahama Journal

A Supreme Court Judge yesterday ordered that a DNA test is to be done to determine who is the real father of Anna Nicole Smith’s six–month-old daughter, Dannielynn Hope, the Guardian has learned.

After two and a half hours of court proceedings with legal counsel for the father on Dannielynn’s birth certificate, Howard K Stern, and the man who claims to be the biological father, Larry Birkhead, as well as Smith’s mother, Virgie Arthur, Justice Issacs ruled that DNA testing is the best way to decide the paternity of Dannielynn and hence who should be appointed guardian of the baby.

As he left the court yesterday, Birkhead announced that it was a good day in court for him and indicated that today would be even better.

“I feel great,” Birkhead said.

The judge deliberated yesterday on whether or not an expert will be appointed to extract DNA samples in the paternity hearing for Dannielynn Hope. Currently, the baby is in Stern’s custody.

This comes after more than a month of court battles in Florida and The Bahamas with many legal twists and turns.

The latest twist came last week with the parting of Birkhead and his high-profiled attorney Debra Opri, who has been by his side from the very beginning.

According to a statement issued by the attorney, she and Birkhead have terminated their attorney-client relationship, but she did not go into specifics.

“I wish Larry the very best of luck in his continuing efforts to prove that he is Dannielynn’s biological father. My prayers will be with Larry and Dannielynn always,” Opri reportedly said.

The Guardian has confirmed that Bahamian attorney Emerick Knowles is still representing Birkhead in the paternity case here in The Bahamas, but it is unknown who will be replacing Ms Opri.

Since Smith’s death, the graveyard where she was buried has become a popular tourist attraction on the island with nearly 300 visits in less than a week by camera-toting tourists who cemetery officials say have destroyed some of the cemetery’s lush landscaping.

Lakeview Memorial Gardens and Mausoleums now has security guards with attack dogs, to filter out persons who are coming to visit deceased family members from persons who are merely attempting to view the newest tourist attraction on the island.

By Inderia Saunders
The Nassau Guardian

Four runways on two major Family Islands were equipped with solar-powered LED (light emitting diode) runway edge and caution lights Monday.

Prime Minister Perry Christie spent most of the afternoon and evening commissioning the state-of-the-art lights in whirlwind trips to Abaco and Andros.

Officials commissioned the lights in Sandy Point and Moore’s Island, Abaco and Mangrove Cay and Congo Town, Andros.

Overall, the government has spent $2.5 million on runway lights for 16 airports throughout the Bahamas, according to officials.

Abaco and Andros are the latest in a series of Family Island airports that the government is outfitting with runway lights.

The government has contracted award-winning light manufacturer, Carmanah Technologies, to supply solar-powered lighting for runways on the Family Island airports.

For years, Family Island residents have complained about the lack of runway lighting. During emergencies, residents have been forced to park their cars on the runway and turn on their headlights to act as a type of guide for landing airplanes, officials said.

This has been widely criticized by many who feel the practice is very dangerous.

Mr. Christie’s first stop was Moore’s Island where he promised residents that in addition to the runway lights they would have a proper airport terminal before the end of the year.

“We need to be able to light up these airports so that aircraft can come in at any time to pick up the people to take them for hospital care,” he said.

“When people ask if we’re serious about National Health Insurance I will point to all of the airstrips that in the last several months we have lit up and provided lights for to guarantee that we can have emergency transportation come in [and] pick up people…so said so done.”

Works Minister Bradley Roberts said Family Islanders have been requesting the installation of runway lighting for years.

“I salute Transport Minister Glenys Hanna Martin for leading the charge on this important and critical Family Island programme. Minister, as you are aware, your predecessors in office failed miserably in getting this project executed. What was attempted on the limited wired runway lighting programme failed due to a terribly negotiated contract,” he said.

Minister Roberts promised Sandy Point residents that the government would build a terminal for their airport.

“I am pleased to announce that provisions will be made in the 2007/2008 budget for a state-of-the-art terminal building here at the Sandy Point Airport and will be built and completed before the end of this year. It is high time that this part of Abaco comes fully into its own,” he said.

South Andros MP Whitney Bastian thanked the PLP administration for its commitment and assistance in helping Mangrove Cay.

“I would like to thank you and your government for doing so much for us in your short time in office. The work that was started since you came to office in 2002 is still continuing today,” he said.

“Today is a red letter day for Mangrove Cay. I’m sure you’ve experienced nights when you’ve had serious accidents here in the community and there are persons who have had to use their vehicles to put at the end of the runway. That was very dangerous. As of tonight, we do not have to do that anymore.”

Last September, Acklins became the first of 16 islands in the Bahamas to use Carmanah’s power-led airfield lighting technology at the regional airports.

“As you are aware, many of our Family Islands serve domestic and international tourists and local traffic with planes limited to smaller jets. Carmanah solar lighting will improve airport safety for 24-hour emergency medivac operations, nighttime operations as well as flights during low visibility daytime weather,” Minister Roberts said.

Runways completed to date are in: Spring Point, Acklins; Colonel Hill, Crooked Island; New Bight, Cat Island; Arthur’s Town, Cat Island; Congo Town, South Andros; Mangrove Cay; Great Harbour Cay, Berry Islands; Moore’s Island, Abaco; Sandy Point, Abaco; Bimini; Inagua; Black Point, Staniel Cay and Farmers Cay, Exuma; Ragged Island; and Deadman’s Cay, Long Island.

By Rogan M Smith
The Bahama Journal

The Marsh Harbour Airport runway is undergoing a $12 million renovation and upgrade, according to government officials, who said the first and most important upgrade is an extension to the length of a new runway by 1,000 feet and a taxiway.

The extension will allow larger aircraft to land more safely, according to officials.

The projected completion time is 18 months.

Transport and Aviation Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin led a group of officials to the Family Island airport to survey works completed so far.

“These are works that we’ve been talking about for a very long time and I’m pleased to see that they’ve begun. These are pre-construction works of the runway being extended to 6,100 feet and being repaved, reconstructed and also the construction of a parallel taxiway,” she said Monday.

“What you see happening here today is the land clearing and surveying works for the construction works, and so the process has begun. We expect that in another couple days, before the week ends, we will have in hand the revised plans for the new terminal.”

The Marsh Harbour airport is the second busiest airport in the Bahamas in terms of take-offs and landings.

“We hope that it will help to facilitate the tremendous traffic that happens at this airport,” Minister Hanna-Martin said.

Land Surveyor for the project, Chester Wilson, said workers will be removing all trees and clearing down the area for the runway.

“This new runway will be over 6,000 feet with an additional 500 feet on either side for safety,” he said.

“The current runway is 5,000 feet and right now we don’t have any plans in the works for the existing runway.”

Director of Civil Aviation Cyril Saunders said once the new runway is complete, air traffic should increase by 30 percent.

“[This will happen] simply because you have a longer runway as well as a taxiway, which will alleviate a lot of congestion on the existing runway, and in terms of safety it will be much better than it is right now,” he said.

Mr. Saunders said the new runway will be able to accommodate the G-5 as well as the Boeing 737.

“It will be able to handle the short-haul, and when I say short-haul, I’m referring to the distance, like Atlanta and back, some midwestern states and all of Florida, but other than that you wouldn’t get a lot of larger aircraft coming here,” he said.

By Rogan M Smith
The Bahama Journal