The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FOREIGN Affairs Minister and Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) chairman Fred Mitchell said residents of Grand Bahama should remain confident as work continues on the island’s major redevelopment projects, including the Grand Lucayan hotel, the airport and the new hospital.

Speaking during a wide-ranging interview, Mr Mitchell acknowledged growing public frustration and concerns about transparency but insisted tangible progress is being made, even if timelines have been slower than many residents hoped.

“There are some things that are in mid-flight,” he said. “They are not always as straightforward as people would want them to be, but progress is being made, and people will see that progress in the months ahead.”

Mr Mitchell pushed back against criticism from the Free National Movement (FNM), calling it “a bit rich” for the opposition to raise transparency concerns given its own record on Grand Bahama’s major infrastructure assets.

Referring to the Minnis administration’s handling of the Grand Lucayan hotel and the airport, he said previous owners were allowed to walk away with insurance payouts while Bahamian taxpayers were left carrying the burden.

Despite public scepticism surrounding the stalled Grand Lucayan redevelopment, Mr Mitchell said agreements are now in place and movement is expected soon. He urged residents to view the situation as “half full, not half empty”.

“You’ll see progress on both the airport and Grand Lucayan,” he said, adding that work already under way at the new hospital is visible proof the government is delivering.

Mr Mitchell said Grand Bahama’s economic revival is already under way, pointing to developments such as Celebration Key in eastern Grand Bahama, which he said have absorbed unemployment and injected renewed optimism into the community.

The opposition, however, maintains that key commitments to Grand Bahama remain unmet.

In a statement issued yesterday, Opposition Leader Michael Pintard said promised upgrades to critical infrastructure, including healthcare and airport facilities, have not materialised and called for clearer timelines and accountability.

Looking ahead, Mr Mitchell said the island is poised for significant growth, with projections of up to six million tourists passing through Grand Bahama by 2027 once infrastructure improvements are completed.

However, he cautioned that increased tourism will require expanded public services, housing and workforce capacity.

“This uplift is exactly why we’re working to get the airport and the hotel done,” he said. “Grand Bahama needs a steady hand to guide that process.”