The Tribune

By Keyron Smith

I have said it so many times before, “Eleuthera is booming”. New developments are rising, tourism is thriving, and opportunities are growing across the island. But beneath that surface growth lies a deeper challenge, one that threatens the very foundation of our communities and local economy.

Just last week, I spoke with two business owners. One in the north and the other in the south of Eleuthera. Both had built successful, respected businesses in their communities, one in hospitality and the other in construction. Both were deeply passionate about their work and committed to the communities they call home, and both had recently made the difficult decision to close their doors. Not because demand had dried up. Not because they lacked drive, passion, or vision. In fact, their businesses were thriving; they just could not find enough consistent and reliable support to keep things running. The challenge wasn’t a lack of opportunity; it was the growing difficulty of finding the right people to sustain and scale their operations.

They shared a similar frustration and statements: Business is growing, opportunities exist, but we just can’t find the people to keep going at it anymore. That realisation was sobering and made me think about the reality and evolution of Eleuthera and all of our family islands. Because while Eleuthera is experiencing a boom, beneath the surface, there is a growing strain on the people and systems meant to power that growth. These challenges aren’t unique to any one business or sector, but they are being felt across the island.

Even among older generations who have built their lives and livelihoods here, the question looms: Who will carry it forward? The lack of succession planning and workforce readiness threatens the very future of our locally rooted enterprises.

The talent and housing crisis behind the boom

There is no doubt that Eleuthera is on the move. From new hotels and restaurants, farms, and construction projects, the signs of economic momentum are everywhere. But growth on paper means little if businesses can’t find the talent to meet demands, or if that talent can’t find a place to live.

Every day across Eleuthera, restaurants reduce their operational hours because they can’t staff the kitchen or dining room. Contractors turn down projects because they don’t have enough skilled tradesmen. Schools, businesses and resorts struggle to fill vacancies because housing is limited or too expensive. Local entrepreneurs, people deeply rooted in their communities, are walking away from opportunities because they struggle to find or retain the support they need.

This isn’t just an inconvenience; it is a reality check for all of us. It is not an isolated experience, but something that is happening island-wide and across the country.

Why Family Islands feel it more

On a family island like Eleuthera, the effects are intensified. We don’t have a large pool of people to draw from. Every skilled worker counts, and every small business matters. When two unrelated entrepreneurs, from opposite ends of the island, make the same decision to shut down because they can’t find staff, it is more than a coincidence. It is a signal, and one that we cannot afford to treat as business as usual.

The housing strain that’s choking progress

Even when willing workers apply, the housing challenge presents a dealbreaker. Affordable rental options are extremely limited, and property prices are rising. Many skilled professionals, young families, and working individuals are being forced to leave the island, or are unable to accept jobs in different settlements, simply because there isn’t available housing.

And this is not just affecting individuals. Small and medium-sized businesses that cannot provide housing options find themselves unable to recruit or retain talent, no matter how competitive the offer. This bottleneck is slowing down progress across the board, from hospitality and agriculture to healthcare and education and unless addressed, it threatens to halt Eleuthera’s growth altogether.

This is not an unsolvable problem, but also not an overnight fix. It requires urgency, investment, and coordination across sectors.

1. Scale up training and soft-skills development

We must invest in the development of our people—especially our young people—through education and training in key areas like construction trades, tourism, agriculture, and entrepreneurship. Institutions like the Centre for Training and Innovation (CTI) are already playing a vital role, but more support and partners are needed to meet the growing demand.

Equally important is the focus on soft skills: communication, conflict resolution, reliability, customer service, and leadership. In many cases, it is these soft skills that determine whether or not someone can truly thrive in the workplace. Even with technical expertise, a lack of soft skills can prevent individuals from sustaining long-term success on the job.

2. Tackle housing head-on

We need innovative, accessible housing solutions such as workforce rental units, duplexes, mixed-income developments, and rent-to-own models. These should be developed near economic hubs and supported by government incentives and private sector partnerships. Perhaps we should also consider how banks can reduce barriers to facilitate the development of more housing opportunities.

3. Support local businesses

We must rethink our approach to supporting local businesses. This means offering targeted grants, relief, and technical assistance to entrepreneurs grappling with hiring and retention challenges. At the same time, local entrepreneurs must be willing to engage in training, take on responsibility, and meet the necessary requirements for accessing grants, loans, and reporting.

We should also recognise and uplift those who are investing in training and upskilling their teams. These are the businesses that are trying to do things right — and they need our help to stay open, stay resilient, and grow.

4. Make growth inclusive

Success isn’t just about what is being built. It is also about who benefits. We must ensure that economic development includes meaningful opportunities for local residents, from students to professionals returning home.

The frustration and fatigue I heard last week from those two business owners is not rare; it is a growing issue, and unless we respond boldly, we will lose more than just businesses. We will lose opportunities, talent, and the chance to shape Eleuthera’s future on our terms. We can’t let the boom be one-sided. We can’t build an economy that leaves people behind.

This is our moment to invest in our people, to fix the systems that are faltering, and to ensure that Eleuthera’s rise, and the rise of all Family Islands, is sustainable, inclusive, and resilient. Some may feel that it is already too late, but it is not. We must act now by coming together to create more housing solutions and interventions that can keep pace with the growing demands of progress and development.

• Keyron Smith is the president and chief execu- tive officer at the One Eleuthera Foundation and Centre for Training and Innovation. Established in 2012, the One Eleuthera Foundation (OEF) is a non-profit organisation located in Rock Sound, Eleuthera. For more information, visit www.oneeleuthera.org or email info@oneeleuthera. org. The Centre for Train- ing and Innovation (CTI) is the first and only post-secondary, non-profit education and training institution and social enterprise on Eleuthera. CTI operates a student training campus in Rock Sound, Eleuthera, with a 16-room training hotel, restaurant and farm. For more information about CTI’s programmes email: info@oneeleuthera.org