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Massive
developments for Family Islands announced
By TAMARA McKENZIE
Guardian Staff
Reporter
The Bahamas may
face a very 'real danger' of acute manpower shortage,
and in particular, a shortage of specialist skills to
facilitate the development projects coming on stream
said Prime Minister Perry Christie last Friday
evening.
Addressing the
final night of the PLP's 48th annual convention, Prime
Minister Christie said in order to avert a manpower
shortage and maximize the employment of Bahamians in
high-end and specialist, skills-based jobs, the
Government, as a matter of policy, has adopted the
position that all Heads of Agreement should obligate
developers to institute manpower training programmes,
in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, The
Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute and, where
applicable, The College of The Bahamas.
"This is
absolutely essential if we are to ensure that our own
people, especially our young people, are properly
trained to take advantage of the numerous and varied
opportunities for lucrative employment that all these
new resort developments will be opening up for them.
We have to get ready. And to be ready we have to be
properly trained. There is no time to lose in meeting
this challenge."
According to the
prime minister, the economic development plan of the
Progressive Liberal Party, calls for the establishment
of an anchor resort or major commercial project in
each Island of The Bahamas, which, in addition to
providing the main source of direct employment, will
produce spin-offs to positively impact the local
economy on a sustained basis.
He said at a time
of economic stagnation in many parts of the world, The
Bahamas, under the PLP Government, is experiencing
dramatically increased levels of investor confidence
in virtually all sectors of the economy. The future,
he said, is therefore looking "exceptionally
bright" for the nation.
The prime minister
also announced that the Government will have signed
Heads of Agreement for new or expanded projects
representing investments in excess of three billion
dollars, with the potential to create in excess of
8,000 new, direct jobs and twice that number of jobs
when spin-off entrepreneurial opportunities are
factored in.
Major Family Island
investments
The largest Family
Island investment announced by the prime minister is
on West Grand Bahama. He said the Government has
received a proposal by the Ginn Development Company of
Orlando, Florida for a joint venture with the present
investors of Old Bahama Bay for the development of the
entire 2,150 acres of the Old Sammons property. This
development will encompass a world-class Resort,
Condominium, Golf Course, Residential, and Yachting
Community. The project envisions a total investment of
$2.5 billion over 18 years in West Grand Bahama.
RUM CAY
In Rum Cay, the
government has approved a proposal by Montana Holdings
Ltd. for the development of 870 acres. The project
will comprise of a five star hotel featuring an
18-hole golf course, entertainment complex, villas,
time-share cottages, residential villas, retail
outlets, a dive club and a 50-berth marina and
clubhouse. This resort is scheduled for completion by
2007. The development is projected to employ over 100
persons during the construction phase and over 120
persons in the daily operations when completed.
EXUMA
The Prime Minister
said the Emerald Bay Resort project encompassing the
five star Four Seasons Hotel, the Greg Norman Golf
Course; upscale second home residential development is
set to completely revolutionize the economy of Exuma.
This project, he said, has engaged several
hundred-construction workers and when the residential
components are completed, will be responsible for some
400 full time, permanent employees.
Adjacent to Emerald
Bay, an application has been received for an 86-lot
residential community development, including an inland
harbour and marina, to be known as Roker's Point at
Emerald Bay.
Each home in this
development is to be constructed at an average
estimated cost of $1.1 million. In the overall result,
a total investment of $122.1 million is projected.
Also in the Exuma's,
the Government recently concluded a Heads of Agreement
with Holmes Company Ltd., for the development of a
major eco-sensitive resort on Crab Cay and Little Crab
Cay near George Town, Exuma. This resort represents a
$243 million resort development and will be executed
in two phases, the Prime Minister said.
All of these new
developments are eco-sensitive and they will celebrate
the natural pristine beauty and idyllic physical
environment of the Exuma's.
"Working hand
in hand with the BEST Commission, each of the
developers will be held to strict environmental
protection protocols that will ensure the preservation
of the legendary beauty of the Exuma's for future
generations of Bahamians and visitors alike. These
same environmentally-sensitive standards will be
brought to bear on all resort developments in The
Bahamas wherever they may be," he said.
BIMINI
On the island of
Bimini, Prime Minister Christie said the government is
committed to the revitalization and expansion of the
tourism plant in Bimini, once known as the Big Game
Fishing Capital of the World.
Towards this end,
he said the Bimini Bay Resort
Development would be permitted to continue on a
reasonable scale and in an environmentally sound
fashion.
Originally
contemplated as a $77 million development, the hotel,
marina, residential home lots, condominium attractions
and other facilities will meet the regulatory
requirements of the various Government agencies, the
Prime Minister said, adding that steady progress on
this project is now contemplated with the expectation
that construction and permanent jobs in significant
numbers will be created.
He also announced
that approval has also been granted for the
acquisition and re-development of the Bimini Big Game
Fishing Club by Lou Sion Ng of Malaysia and Mr. Eugene
Wright, both of whom have extensive real estate and
resort interests in Florida. They will construct an
additional 52 hotel rooms and marina facilities and
complete construction by summer 2005.
ABACO
Among the more
prominent new projects underway in Abaco is the Abaco
Club in Winding Bay at Cherokee Sound, which is being
developed by the Carneige Club at a projected cost of
$140 million. This exclusive resort, the Prime
Minister said, would contain the first links golf
course to be built in The Bahamas. During the
construction and operation phases, the resort will
employ 300 Bahamians.
Also in Abaco,
Island Fresh Dairy Ltd. with its Bahamian and American
partners has proposed the establishment of a Dairy
Farm and processing plant and distribution facility.
This major farm initiative is projected to provide
dairy products both for the local and export markets.
BERRY ISLANDS
According to the
Prime Minister, the Government is in the final stages
of considering an application from Pristine Resorts
Ltd. to invest some $18 million in the construction of
a 20 room Boutique Hotel and Beach Club at Great
Harbour Cay. This resort, he said, will also include
the construction of 40 Beach Villas and the renovation
of the existing golf course.
"Approval has
also been given for International Marina Ltd. for the
purchase of Chub Cay Resort. The new owners plan to
invest some $25 million in the re-development and
expansion of the marina and the construction of new
hotel rooms and homes, with a projected employment of
some 40 Bahamians," he said.
In nearby Whale
Cay, an extensive upscale residential development is
in the advanced planning stages as well.
ANDROS
The Government is
pursing initiatives for the expansion of Bone Fishing
Lodges throughout Andros to be owned and operated by
Bahamians, said Prime Minister Christie. Towards this
end, he said special incentives would be granted to
facilitate enterprising Bahamians in taking advantage
of the $500-600 million spent annually around the
world by anglers in fly-fishing.
He also highlighted
that the Minister of Financial Services &
Investments and The Hotel Corporation of The Bahamas
last year and again this year, facilitated the
participation of bone fishing lodge owners from Andros,
Acklins and Grand Bahama at the International Fly
Fishing Convention in Denver, Colorado. As a result,
he said they have been put in touch with new markets
and major suppliers of business and have established
valuable contacts, which will impact favourably on the
viability of Bone Fishing Lodges in The Bahamas.
CAT ISLAND
A 100 cottage
eco-sensitive resort, health club and spa is proposed
for Lucky Mount with an investment of $19.7 million
employing some 100 persons;
A $5-10 million
resort expansion is also slated for Hawks Nest. It
will include the construction of additional rooms,
spa, marina, second home cottages and reverse osmosis
plant. This project which has already been approved
will result in the employment of 39 additional
Bahamians;
A proposed $16
million project at Orange Creek Cat Island will
include a boutique hotel, spa, marina, beach club,
residential homes and a bridge. This project is
expected to create over 100 jobs.
ELEUTHERA
On the island of
Eleuthera, Prime Minister Christie said that two major
world-class resort projects by Salsa Beach Ltd are at
an advanced stage of planning on The Hotel Corporation
properties at Half Sound and Winding Bay and on
government lands at Hatchet Bay. These projects will
positively impact the economy of the entire Island of
Eleuthera and virtually eliminate the unemployment
problem that has afflicted Eleuthera for so long.
He said it is
projected that a capital investment on the order of
$500 million will be made by the developers within
five years and some one billion dollars within 10
years.
Over 500
construction jobs will be created and more than 1,500
permanent jobs should be available upon completion.
The development at
Half Sound and Winding Bay will include
- Two (2) luxury
resort hotels
- An exotic spa
with centuries-perfected Oriental spa treatments
- Upscale homes
and condominiums
- A PGA rated golf
course; and
- Live Bahamian
entertainment, world-class dining and other resort
amenities.
The Windermere
Island North Development Ltd., spearheaded by Carry
Rich, has already embarked upon a $75 million capital
investment in Central Eleuthera (on Windermere
Island). This particular development will embrace a
luxury 50-suite hotel, spa, up market homes and
cottages. This project, which is already in progress,
is expected to engage the services of some
200-construction workers and 200 permanent employees.
Several miles to
the south, Governor's Harbour Resort & Marina Ltd.
has acquired the former Club Med property. This
developer plans to invest up to $40,000,000 in a
luxury hotel, villas, marina and other facilities.
This development should generate 75 construction jobs
and up to 150 permanent jobs.
Posted:Tuesday
November 25, 2003
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