Prime Minister Philip Davis’s Remarks at a Government Press Conference on Grand Bahama
Good Afternoon,
From the very start of this term, I made my position clear. I was not prepared to accept the status quo. Not in energy, not in governance, and not in an economy that placed unnecessary burdens on Bahamian families and businesses.
Today, I want to begin by announcing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of The Bahamas and Emera Incorporated relative to the Grand Bahama Power Company.
This MOU reflects a shared commitment to explore a new path forward for energy in Grand Bahama.
When completed, this would mark the first time the Government of The Bahamas could control the power company since the Hawksbill Creek Agreement was signed.
This is important because it will result in universal electricity rates across The Bahamas, ending a long standing disparity between Grand Bahama and the rest of the country. It matters because it strengthens national energy planning. And it matters because it directly supports our broader energy reform agenda aimed at bringing down the cost of electricity for Bahamian households and businesses.
This is not about control for its own sake. It is about fairness. It is about affordability. And it is about aligning energy policy with the needs of the people and the modern economy we are building.
Energy reform is one of the most important pillars of this administration’s work. Lower energy costs mean lower costs of living. They mean more competitive businesses. They mean a stronger foundation for investment, job creation, and long term growth in Grand Bahama and across the country.
This MOU represents progress.
It reflects careful work, serious engagement, and a willingness to do what previous administrations avoided. We are moving deliberately, responsibly, and in the public interest.
And we are doing so because accepting the status quo was never an option.
Additionally the Government has mobilised Polycon, the construction company carrying out works for the Grand Bahama International Airport, and Polycon has engaged Bahamas Hot Mix to commence on-site preparation works. This marks an important transition from planning into physical activity on the ground, and it reflects our commitment to moving this project forward in a responsible and orderly way.
This progress comes at a moment when Grand Bahama’s tourism performance is demonstrating real momentum. In 2025, air arrivals to Grand Bahama increased by more than 30 percent compared to 2024, and exceeded pre-pandemic levels in 2019 by a similar margin. Even more striking, sea arrivals have expanded dramatically, with more than a 90 percent increase in 2025 compared to 2024, and more than a 100 percent increase over pre-pandemic arrivals in 2019. These figures make Grand Bahama the fastest growing tourism destination in the country, and the economic impact is already being felt across transportation, hospitality, services, and small businesses.
Phase One of the Grand Bahama International Airport redevelopment represents a critical part of this growth strategy. With a capital expenditure of over $100 million, Phase One will deliver a new modern terminal designed to accommodate demand of up to five hundred thousand passengers annually with ability to expand to one million. The facility will include an international and United States pre-clearance, with a terminal footprint of approximately 100,000 square feet, alongside new taxiways, expanded apron space, and upgraded roadways and parking.
As Bahamians know, the Grand Bahama International Airport has experienced flooding multiple times over the years. Addressing this reality is not optional. It is essential. As a result, the environmental and flood mitigation work associated with this project is extensive. Environmental impact assessments, geotechnical studies, and flood mitigation surveys are currently being finalised to ensure the airport is built with long-term resilience in mind.
This airport will anchor the Grand Bahama economy–consolidating the relaunch of Grand Bahama. It supports tourism, expands cargo, increase investment, and strengthens environmental resilience. The redevelopment of the Grand Bahama International Airport is central to the island’s growth, and this administration will continue to move it forward with discipline, clarity, and a clear focus on delivering lasting value for the people of Grand Bahama.
This administration has made a clear choice.
We have chosen to be on the right side of history with the people of Grand Bahama.
That choice has guided every major decision we have taken since coming to office. It has guided how we have approached recovery, how we have pursued investment, and how we have confronted systems that have held this island back for too long.
Grand Bahama’s story is bigger than any one project, any one property, or any one moment. The future of Grand Bahama rests on diversification, resilience, and a modern economy that creates opportunity across sectors, communities, and generations.
When we came to office, Grand Bahama was carrying deep scars. Hurricane Dorian had left physical damage, economic disruption, and grief. Long standing structural issues continued to limit growth and confidence. We understood that recovery would not mean returning to old patterns. It had to mean building something stronger.
That is why we focused first on laying a foundation. A foundation that addressed immediate needs while preparing the island for long term growth.
Since September 2021, Grand Bahama has seen over $3.5 billion in investments and commitments across tourism, maritime, health, logistics, energy, education, entertainment, and community development. This includes large scale projects and Bahamian-led expansions, alongside programs that put people to work and strengthen communities.
At the same time, we invested in conditions that make growth possible. Housing repairs and recovery support. Restoring government services in East Grand Bahama. Community beautification and employment through the Beautiful Grand Bahama initiative. Empowerment grants for entrepreneurs. Youth development and skills training.
This is deliberate. A diversified economy is built by aligning infrastructure, skills, capital, and confidence. It is built by strengthening the basics while preparing the island for new industries and larger opportunity.
Part of laying a strong foundation required us to confront uncomfortable truths.
For too long, the economic engine of Freeport has operated under arrangements that no longer reflect the needs or expectations of the people who live and work there. Growth stalled. Investment slowed. Decisions too often felt distant from daily realities.
That is why we have chosen to challenge the status quo with the Grand Bahama Port Authority. We did not make this decision lightly. We did it because it was the right thing to do. We did it because a modern Grand Bahama requires modern governance, accountability, and a development model that keeps people at the center.
Being on the right side of history sometimes means being willing to confront systems that are familiar, yet no longer fair, no longer fit for purpose, and no longer producing results.
Now we build forward.
Yesterday, we signed and advanced another major step in the relaunch of Grand Bahama’s economy, through MSC’s major cruise terminal investment in Freeport Harbour.
This is a serious expansion with real scale.
MSC Cruises, through its affiliate and development company, will develop a new cruise ship pier complex and berthing area at the Billy Cay property in the City of Freeport, alongside new visitor and commercial infrastructure. The plan also includes upgrades to the existing Port and Retail Village area of the Freeport Harbour.
The estimated capital investment is US$450 million, with US$400 million allocated to the Billy Cay port and related infrastructure and US$50 million allocated to a Beach Club and the refurbishment of the existing Retail Village refurbishment. This includes new cruise berths, a welcome plaza, retail and food and beverage, entertainment areas, transportation staging, and supporting amenities designed to increase visitor flow, expand local business opportunities, and strengthen Grand Bahama as a competitive cruise destination.
The project is designed as a multi user facility, supporting operational flexibility and positioning Grand Bahama to capture greater cruise activity, higher passenger volumes, and wider economic spillover into transportation, hospitality, culture, and small business.
The broader role MSC continues to play in strengthening Grand Bahama as a serious maritime and logistics hub. MSC has already made a major investment in upgrades and new equipment at the Freeport Container Port, improving efficiency and capacity at a facility that is central to the island’s industrial base.
At the same time, MSC, together with another partner, is currently in negotiations regarding the potential acquisition of Hutchison Ports operations in multiple countries, including the Freeport Container Port. In Freeport, MSC holds a significant interest and is the principal user of the container terminal.
These developments underscore a clear reality.
Global operators are positioning Grand Bahama as a long-term logistics platform, integrated into international shipping networks, and capable of supporting sustained industrial and economic growth.
This is the direction we are taking. Grand Bahama as a Brand. Grand Bahama as a serious port economy. Grand Bahama as a place where visitors arrive and spend, where Bahamian entrepreneurs build, and where communities benefit.
And we continue to build a diversified investment platform across the island. The pipeline is broad, including the Grand Lucayan redevelopment, the Grand Bahama Shipyard reinvestment, Carnival, MSC, the airport, health investments, clean energy, logistics, and education.
Let me address the Grand Lucayan.
We are making steady progress.
It is a complex transaction.
It requires careful sequencing.
It requires proper approvals, coordination, and structured execution.
That is exactly how we are approaching it.
I understand the anxiety people feel. I understand the frustration when the pace feel longer than anyone wants. I also understand the temptation for some to turn every stage of work into drama, to create noise, and to claim failure before the work reaches its next phase.
The criticisms coming loudest from those who created the problem. They should hang their heads in shame & gratitude. We are only concerned with the development of GB, not the incompetent political scammers who brought us this mess.
We will ignore the noise.
We will keep doing what serious governments do.
Protect workers.
Protect the public interest.
Move the project forward step by step, in a way that is credible and sustainable.
Grand Bahamians deserve delivery, and they deserve honesty.
They will get both from this administration.
There are people rooting for the failure of Grand Bahama. Some see political gain in doubt. Some want to keep the island trapped in old arguments and old disappointments.
That mindset has no place in the future of Grand Bahama.
Success is the only option because the people of Grand Bahama deserve nothing less.
They deserve an economy that offers opportunity across tourism, maritime services, logistics, energy, creative industries, education, and entrepreneurship. They deserve infrastructure that supports growth. They deserve governance that listens and responds.
When history looks back on this period, it will ask simple questions.
Did we protect the public interest?
Did we confront outdated systems?
Did we invest in people?
Did we build an economy that could withstand shocks and create opportunity?
This administration intends to answer yes to every one of those questions.
We are on the right side of history because we chose progress over comfort. We chose reform over delay. We chose to believe in Grand Bahama’s potential, and to act on that belief.
The foundation has been laid. The direction is clear. The work continues.
And the relaunch of Grand Bahama’s economy will be written with the people of Grand Bahama at the centre.
Thank you.
