By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
The Bahamas’ sponging industry is poised for a revival via a deal for $1.2 million in grant funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) that is expected to be sealed in the coming weeks.
While declining to go into much detail until the agreement has been finalised Donalee Bowe, the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation’s (BAIC) assistant general manager, said that a public-private partnership was afoot to bring about the industry’s revival.
She added that the aim was not only to harvest but export the finished product.
“The Bahamas Spongers Association is now ready and available to take advantage of grant funding that is expected to be awarded; $1.2 million to develop the sponge industry,”Mrs Bowe said during a recent press conference to announce the fourth annual Andros Business Outlook.
Godfrey Eneas, the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute’s (BAMSI) president, said Prime Minister Perry Christie had called for government agecnies to explore revitalising the velvet sponge.
“The velvet sponge used to be one of the high value sponges during the days of sponging in the Bahamas,” Mr Eneas said.
“The University of Florida and the Institute has embarked on a joint project to revitalise sponging in Red Bays and make the economy of Red Bays sustainable. For too long we have just harvested and not been concerned about sustainability. This is going to revitalise the sponge industry; in Andros initially and then elsewhere.”
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