The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The government’s evaluation committee has reached a “consensus” on the three Nassau cruise port bids and is ready to make their recommendation to Cabinet, the Minister of Tourism said yesterday.

Dionisio D’Aguilar, the minister of tourism and aviation, said the assessments of the rival offers was “essentially being completed” by the committee headed by Joy Jibrilu, director-general of tourism. Tribune Business sources said Joshua Sears, the prime minister’s senior policy advisor, and Marlon Johnson, financial secretary, were also on the committee.

The minister’s comments came as he urged the three bidders to cease a public battle that has seen them criticise their rivals’ offers while promoting the merits of their own, arguing that it was “unnecessary” and “inappropriate”.

Speaking outside the House of Assembly, Mr D’Aguilar said: “The process, I’m advised by the evaluation committee, is essentially being completed. The next step is to bring it forward to Cabinet, and for Cabinet to decide the way forward - either to accept the recommendation of the evaluation committee or not to accept it.”

Bids were submitted to the government on December 7 last year, and opened on December 11. The three contenders are the $250m offer from Global Ports Holding, the cruise port operator, and its Bahamian advisors, Arawak Port Development Company (APD) and CFAL; the $225m proposal by Nassau Port Partners, headed by Bahamian investment house, Providence Advisors; and the $125m submission by Cruise Ports International.

The latter is a Bahamian group, headed by former Family Guardian president, Gerald Strachan, in alliance with four major cruise lines - Carnival, Disney, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean.

“There were three bidders or companies that submitted proposals, and the evaluation committee has gathered around a consensus and they’re ready to bring it forward for the Cabinet to decide what the next step will be,” Mr D’Aguilar said.

Noting the recent media battle involving the trio, Mr D’Aguilar advised them against further such actions. “I would recommend that they cease doing it because it is not going to help the process,” he added.

“I just thought that it was unnecessary and, while I was not involved in the evaluation process, it was really the committee who said it was inappropriate and really didn’t help the process. I don’t think it in any way influenced their decision.”

Mr D’Aguilar, suggesting that it was unnecessary to engage in a public relations exercise until the government “galvanised” behind a proposal, described the Nassau cruise port redevelopment as a “priority” for the Minnis administration.

“Presently the port is a very chaotic,” he said. “With so many boats coming on stream, and so many ports being developed; even in Miami they are spending billions on redeveloping that port. We have to remain relevant. It behooves us to bring about that investment, and for that redevelopment to take place and hope that it would provide the catalyst for the redevelopment of Bay Street to the west of East Street and, obviously, to the east of East Street.”

When asked what the Government is seeking from the successful bidder, Mr D’Aguilar said: “If I had to choose one word it would be ‘transformational’. We want something that really turns the Port of Nassau into something iconic, fresh, new and able to process the 3.6 plus million passengers that come to the Port of Nassau. What we have there now simply cannot process in a sensible way 10,00 passengers a day.”