Flipping Grand Bahama

On this beautiful Friday in Grand Bahama I have had a good think about what is going on in pockets around the island. While on the surface many talk about the various obstacles to business, in the background I feel the work being done. It's like the story of the seed that takes five years to grow under the ground making strong roots before anyone ever sees a shoot and then it takes off and bears fruit. The backyard farming is catching on with another young man at the helm. When I came to Grand Bahama in 2010 there was an older gentleman BAIC Deputy Chairman, Ronald Darville Sr. who was promoting this phenomena. I thought he was doing a great job and proving his worth by having a farm, tending a farm for someone else and also having a farm in his backyard. BAIC Deputy Chairman, Ronald Darville Sr. along with Mr. H. Rudy Sawyer then also of BAIC at Darville's Farm in 2011. But, he died and I wondered who could or would pick up the gauntlet. In walked this bri...

So…. I got up this morning thinking of what I shall write about today. I have given you my audience the outlook for Grand Bahama, which according to many was, not very much. So far we have about 200 possible jobs for this year in Grand Bahama. As for business and the economy, it just so happened that as I checked email I found something that is rather interesting. A very dear friend and fellow colleague sent me information that he said I can share and its all on the world economy. Hopefully this can help some people to make their decisions on where and when to do business. There is the link:

And for those interested in what the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce had to say at the 16th Annual Business Outlook here is the President, Barry Malcolm: Then from the Grand Bahama Shipyard we have the CEO and Chairman Carl-Gustaf Rotkirch: We do hope you have enjoyed the Outlook and that it gave some hope for this island.

On our regularly scheduled day we continue to bring you the speeches from the 16th Annual Grand Bahama Business Outlook hosted by TCLGroupLtd on Thursday February 27th, 2014. Today we have the Minister of Tourism, Hon. Obie Wilchcombe: Ms. Agatha Marcelle, Director, National Training Agency: Mr. George Gobin, Microsoft Country Manager for Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Belize and the Turks and Caicos Islands: More to come on Friday. Enjoy!

It's Friday and I've decided to add another day to my blog. Its now done on Tuesdays and Fridays. And for today, I have some news from the 16th Annual Grand Bahama Business Outlook which was held on Thursday February 27 at the Grand Lucayan Resort. The theme this year was "Charting the Course for Growth in Grand Bahama 2014". There were a number of good speakers but as I have been noticing, the numbers attending have dwindled yet again and the number of speakers have done so as well. I'm beginning to feel that for the organizers, the TCLGroup must have a hard time each year with Grand Bahama which I don't feel happens in other parts of the country. I could be wrong though. I have attached speeches from the three last speakers for you my readers to consider beginning with the Minister for Grand Bahama, Dr. Michael Darville. Also speaking was Ms. Sarah St. George, Vice Chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority. All videos were produ...

There are some buildings that only look abandoned. This one was one of them. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of her sad face prior to the work that is presently being done to revive her former glory. It was once our very own Lowe's Pipe and Steel. Question is, what happened? It has been closed though for some 20 years at least. But Im told the building on Yellow Pine Rd was bought by Coca Cola and will begin with a fresh start. More good news. Like the Spinx we shall rise out of our ashes. The old Home Depot on West Sunrise Highway, is now the home to Freeport Ship Services. We still have the wonderful old staples in the industrial park - Bahamas Oil Refining Company (although its just a bunkering company now), Freeport Harbour, Freeport Container Port, Bahamas Rock (where once sat the Cement Company), Polymers, Grand Bahama Shipyard and Grand Bahama Power Company. Along with the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the hotels, these are are major employers and ...

A couple of weeks ago, I posted this picture on my blog to show some of the eye sores in Freeport, because this one was clearly seen on Queen's Highway. This area is the mean light industrial area and a mean road that shows off what is on offer. To my great surprise last week, I discovered that it is under transformation and according to a gentleman I found working on the inside, it is going to be an interior decorating center with upholstery being done on one side. This again is a sign of hope that things can and will get better. There are a number of other business changes that I have heard of in the last two weeks which will all make grand announcements when they do. I look forward to reporting on them all. Below is the transformed building as I cannot contain my excitement for any good change that comes about on this island. By the way, writer/historian Peter Barrett has a campaign going on to save a historical building...