PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis speaking yesterday.
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said his administration would approve the sale of the Grand Bahama Port Authority if the new owners meet the government’s standards.
Asked to respond to rumours that the authority will be sold, he did not answer directly.
“If it’s going to be sold, it requires government approval,” he said, “and we’ll approve any arrangement for the sale of the port authority once it’s going to align with the benefits that we identify that could be had by Grand Bahamians and The Bahamas in particular. The government itself is willing to step to the plate to acquire the port, and we have made that known to families as well.”
He said he intends to discuss the authority’s future after today’s by-election, noting owners were supposed to update him on matters by the end of last month.
Tension between the GBPA and the government exploded into the public’s view earlier this year after Prime Minister Phillip Davis accused the authority of failing to follow its Hawksbill Creek Agreement obligations to maintain Freeport’s infrastructure and facilitate its growth.
He said the government had “begun to invoice the Port Authority” to reimburse Bahamian taxpayers’ expenses in providing public infrastructure and services in Freeport.
He called for new management of the authority.
Port owners defended their management of Freeport, saying increasing bureaucracy and red tape from the government have held the island back.
The GBPA said it wants to cooperate with the government.
Comments
Sickened 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Ummm. The Bahamas Government is willing to buy the Port??? Pray tell... with what money? You have no money to fix the hospital, pave ANY road, fix any school properly and up to code... and y'all want to buy the port?!?!? The PLP punch drunk on power.
TimesUp 5 months, 2 weeks ago
As a Licensee, I consider any move by the government to buy the port as a hostile action.
Every move I make for my business is hindered and confounded by the government and its various branches. They are strangling licensees and Freeport in general to facilitate a bid to take over.
The Port are allowing this discrimination towards licensees where they should be fighting! They have given up and I worry they will sell our rights, and any chance of Freeports success from under us.
I support, and will pay my part towards a take over via the licensees, this is the true best outcome for Freeport and the worst nightmare for the government.
ExposedU2C 5 months, 2 weeks ago
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TalRussell 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Here we are, --- Only after the By-election polls opened, has The Premiership and a Single Licensee, ---- Bothered to 'lip' a slight mention of the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) - the privately (families) inherited quasi-governmental organization with regulatory & municipal domains over Freeport. --- How in the hell, 'did' a family lineage inherit a colony's sovereign Out Island. --- Yes?
birdiestrachan 5 months, 2 weeks ago
GBPA DID NOT REBUILD THE AIR PORT. WHO KEPT THEM FROM DOING THAT. PRAY TELL. SOME MANY HAVE TAKEN THEM TO THE ALLMIGHTY IN PRAYER. FOR WRONG DOING MAYBE THAT IS THEIR PROBLEM.
ExposedU2C 5 months, 2 weeks ago
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ExposedU2C 5 months, 1 week ago
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ExposedU2C 5 months ago
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