Flipping Grand Bahama

Following my post last Friday, this was the post I got from Janet Albury: Morning Yasmin, I read your column with great interest and need to enlighten you. Sometimes perception is perceived as truth and sometimes, when  a story is repeatedly told, it changes and so does the truth.  The 'closing of the gates' and persons having to leave the area of Freeport at dusk, had nothing to do with colour... it had everything to do with the 'bonded' status of Freeport. My parents moved here in the mid-1950's and lived during all of the changes and issues. During the creation of an historical exhibit in 2004, I interviewed several persons... one being a Bahamian gentleman whom I fondly regarded and  who sat on the political sidelines. When the matter of 'the gate' was discussed, he told me with a chuckle that it was a lie... used for political purposes. My mother would attest most adamantly that the gate was not used to keep the black Bahamians out! More lies!..

Following my last post there were a number a number of responses and even some more information from the past that came up. Today I leave this space to on person with views of Grand Bahama and what happened: Greg Farrington: Almost over night Freeport was created from pine baron forest and mangrove swamp. It was created because Wallace Groves had vision and drive. The plan for Freeport was simple - anyone could invest here without interference from government and taxes. Freeport was booming. Hotels, restaurants, businesses and industry were all doing well. Labor was a mix of foreign and local and everyone was making money. The Pindling government obviously saw Freeport in a different light.  Prime  Minister Pindling’s “Bend or Break” speech did just that, it “broke” the very core of success that Freeport had accomplished. Instead of working with a successful plan and working more Bahamians into it he destroyed it for everyone with harsh anti foreign all for Bahamians tactics.