The Tribune

The president of a US-based health services exporter has concluded meetings in Nassau and Freeport, as it looks for the island that will be the ‘best fit’ for its proposed $200 million medical facility.

Robert Priddy, president of American World Clinics (AWC), held discussions with officials from the Office of the Prime Minister and Bahamian healthcare professionals. The company will now analyse the three-day compilation of information.

“We’ve had several different suggestions from various individuals on where would be a good place to provide the best of global healthcare to patients,” said Mr Priddy. “I am pleased with what I’ve seen, and I look forward to exploring further.”

The AWC executive also met with Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) executives, the president of the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce, Barry Malcolm, and several members of that island’s business community.

The AWC team also met with the minister of state for investments, Khaalis Rolle; Dr Conville Brown; minister of state in the Ministry of Legal Affairs, Damian Gomez; and Free National Movement chairman, Darron Cash.

AWC is looking at the Bahamas as the possible location for a $200 million-$250 million hospital that would create more than 200 jobs once completed.

The development of the proposed 1,500 square-foot hospital would be the Bahamas’ biggest medical tourism project, targeting medical travellers, the expatriate community and local patients seeking US standards of medicine and medical care.

AWC has targeted Barbados in the southern Caribbean, the Bahamas in the north, as well as the Canary Islands and Uruguay.

The company works closely with local governments in developing their hospitals, and offers a public-private partnership model.