The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

KEVIN Seymour was returned as president of the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce during its annual general meeting and election of officers held on Wednesday at the Pelican Bay Resort.

Mr Seymour, who is an accountant and chief financial officer at PharmaChem, was pleased that he and most of the officers were re-elected for a second term, and pledged to continue to focus on important and critical economic challenges confronting Grand Bahama in 2016.

“We certainly look forward to the upcoming year,” he told The Tribune. “But I would have ideally liked to have been in a position having served one year, to report to the membership that the uncertainty hanging over Freeport was no longer, and that is the question as to what will ultimately be decided with respect to the (Hawksbill Creek Agreement) exemptions.”

“I would have liked to see government make the decision before the actual exemption expired back in August,” Mr Seymour said.

He assured members though that the chamber’s voice has been heard and recommendations made to the government on the issues affecting Grand Bahama were taken into account.

The chamber has been very vocal about the need to extend the expiring exemptions – real property tax and business license fees, which ended on August 4, but were extended by the government for another six months to February 4.

Meanwhile, Nick Holding captured enough votes to secure the position as first vice president, and Adrienne Carey was elected second vice president.

Christopher Baker and Dan Romance were returned as treasurer and secretary, respectively.

The chamber’s directors are Leslie Baptista; Karin Sanchez; Eric Russell; Lawrence Palmer; Edward Marshall; Dillon Knowles and Jared Thompson.