The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

A Cabinet minister yesterday conceded that Grand Bahama residents have waited too long for much-promised projects to materialise but argued the island is now seeing the benefits of a broad economic recovery supported by more than $3.5bn in investments.

Speaking during the 2026/2027 Budget debate in Parliament, Ginger Moxey, minister for Grand Bahama, said criticism about the pace of development on the island was not entirely misplaced.

"I hear people when they speak about Grand Bahama, and sometimes I can say you're correct. You are correct. Grand Bahama has waited too long for some things. You are correct. Some projects have taken longer than our people expected, and you are correct. There are still roads to fix, communities to restore, and services to strengthen,” she added. "Grand Bahamians want to feel progress, not just hear about progress."
Mrs Moxey argued, however, that much of the work required to move major projects forward occurs behind the scenes and is not always visible to the public.

"Sometimes the work begins with approvals. Sometimes it begins with land acquisition. Sometimes it begins with environmental review, technical work, financing, procurement, legal work, stakeholder meetings and clearing long-standing obstacles that should have been addressed decades ago,” she added.

The Minister said that work has helped support investor confidence and what she described as more than $3.5bn in investments connected to Grand Bahama's development.

Mrs Moxey pointed to tourism growth as evidence of the island's recovery, saying Grand Bahama welcomed more than one million visitors and recorded a 91.2 percent increase in arrivals while leading the country in air arrivals growth - albeit from a very low starting point.

"That is a major rebound. That is confidence returning. That is cruise tourism expanding. That is businesses seeing movement again," the minister said.
She said the benefits are beginning to reach taxi drivers, vendors, restaurants, entertainers, tour operators and small businesses after years of economic hardship following Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mrs Moxey highlighted a number of projects she said are advancing, including the $600m Celebration Key development, MSC's cruise port project, the Grand Bahama International Airport redevelopment, the Grand Lucayan redevelopment, the Freeport Health Campus, Doctors Hospital's facility and expansion at the Grand Bahama Shipyard.

Mrs Moxey also outlined housing initiatives, including plans for 18 homes at Wellington Pinder Estates, development of a 100-acre tract under consideration by the Ministry of Housing and construction on 30 lots already owned by the Government.

Addressing criticism on the pace of development, she said: "When people ridicule the process, I say if they only knew what it takes to move a stalled project from talk to action, from file to field, from delay to delivery."
Mrs Moxey urged residents to prepare themselves for opportunities generated by new investments. "Get ready, get trained, get certified, register your business, improve your skills, position yourself, because progress creates opportunity, but preparation determines who can access it,” she added.

"Some progress you can see, some progress is the groundwork that makes construction possible, but whether visible or behind the scenes, Grand Bahama is moving."