Flipping Grand Bahama

Four weeks after Category 4 possible 5 Hurricane Matthew hit Grand Bahama full force, disrupting essential services and our number one industry - tourism, things are beginning to come back together with lots of people helping. One of the things that made the island look rather scary was the brown trees. They are now turning green which brings a light of hope. It's funny how many in the northern countries are just accustomed to the brown of the trees and may not feel the hopelessness of a brown tree.  Here we can see the beauty of the trees and grass that were turned brown due to salt burn ... the salt water sprayed over the trees during the storm. Lots of love to all the civic groups that have been helping all the distressed areas on the island as well as the Grand Bahama Port Authority, the Grand Bahama Shipyard.  Rotary Club of Grand Bahama Sunrise in West End.    Rotary Club of Grand Bahama Sunrise in West End.  Water plant   Li

(copied with permission from Lesley Baptista on Facebook) Hard to believe it has been more than a week since our island was so terribly hit by Hurricane Matthew. Devastation. And hope. I will take the hope. I came home to this picture done by my daughter Amelia (can I get a whoop whoop for no electronics for a bit??!!).  It reminded me that in midst of total devastation, even dead, broken trees and debris everywhere, there is much love. In fact, maybe that is where the most real, true love comes from... out of loss, hurt, devastation. I am thinking it isnt really coming from my a/c house and comfort zone! (Nope, we dont have power lol). We are witnessing tremendous progress (big props to GB Power, BTC, Cable Bahamas... all the stores opening etc...) in such a short time.  I know what it is like to lose all of our material things. It is so very hard. I do, however, also know that much can come from that loss, too. Together, we will rebuild. So, for anyone still reading my ram

So.... Grand Bahama has seen many storms as it is in the hurricane belt, but Hurricane Matthew has been said by all to be the worst in known history. However in the bright side, after this hurricane within days we had water; before the end of the first week we had light and for some before the end of the second week we have internet. There is much to be thankful for... But I listen to a question posed to be by my significant other.... How do you pray to the one who brought the storm? And how could you be so happy that he change everything around? Well... the only way to fix some injuries is to break them again and reset. To properly "flip" a piece of furniture, a home, a business... you need to take it apart and check it out. How would you know how fast water, power, and the internet could be restored if you never tested it? If you asked for patience how could you not expect trials to test that you have all that you ask for? It has been a very int

Thanks be to God for His mercies in sparing lives on this island during and after the storm. And thanks to the various agencies and people who got right to work. Sorry no picture of the water guys at work but they were super as well. Thanks to the people from the island and islands as well as other countries sending stuff to help. It is a grateful day and many people on my Facebook feed are very upset at the complainers. Funny i only find out about the complainers that way. Gratitude is contageous. So what are you grateful for?

So this past week we had a very bad experience that we would not soon forget but what I remember most are the words we are a resilient people and we will get through this. Here are some of the pics from the storm:

Ok, also put, "whatsoever you sow, so shall you reap."  This blog is about positive attitudes to change the way we live... in that vein listening to more of Earl Nightingale on the very topic was very refreshing. He said that looking at any neighbourhood one would be able to see the type of people that live there. The service they give to the neighbourhood reflects in the way it looks. He went further to note that richer areas always seem neat and tidy and well kept, while the yards of the persons who are unemployed seem rather unkept.. looking at the contrast those who have the time do not utilize it in their appearances. That was a hard-hitting fact, but a fact nonetheless. Today puts us another day way from Hurricane Matthew, a category 4 storm is forecast at this moment to hit Grand Bahama by Thursday. Late last week it was set to miss us and as it moves on its snail's pace, it is constantly changing direction.  It is has wrecked havoc on a number of C

It's Monday, Oct. 3rd and we are once again facing a tropical storm which only reminds me of an economist here once talking about the different types of storms that we have faced and were expected to face. Yes, the country has taken many hits over the past 20 years in tropical storms/ hurricanes as well as financial storms and changes. Well actually, the world has had many hits as we meet reality vs a dream world of a false economy. It is easy to change all this as a "friend" said in a recent comment, in a communist country, but in a democratic country, there is a lot of people to go through for approval and then another round of talks and developments to implement. This is not to say its a bad or good thing, it is just what it is. This always gives those persons seeing visions and prospects/opportunities to get themselves together to be ready for come what may. So, what can be the upside of any storm? Well, it gives time to think that weekends don

So back in May of this year, a comment came from a reader, Brad Ingersoll on our Facebook. His comment came to a blog on the possible closure of the Grand Lucaya. Brad Ingersoll   At one time thousands worked in Grand Bahama, at resorts, cab tours, food and beverage and such. Now the world has changed and the island needs to re invent itself and it can be done. Cuba will not help with Island tourism as crazy Americans will need to travel to a 3rd world Communist country to see what's its all about! This got me to thinking.... how would we re-invent ourselves? (That's all I took away from what he said. What about you?) What do we want to look like? A thriving metropolis? To reach a standard, we need to set a bar? Is the bar from our past?  I've had a lot of time to think about this. We have been saying over and over again that we want the good old days to come back, but what influenced those days and are they positive and acceptable and adaptable to now? S

Ahh, the slow comfortable life of island living. What we all seem to forget is that in life there are always ebbs and flows, and while Grand Bahama may have had its share of ebbs, the flows were not so bad. Revising the "why" of this blog I began to think its undertaking is quite vast. To reach each Grand Bahamian to say wake up and prepare for the next flow is daunting and sometimes self-defeating. The reality of it though is that if we don't then prepare now and get in on the ground level while there are so many ground breakings then you can so easily miss out and cry out that the people from other islands and other nations are once again taking everything from you. We have had a really bad time following the markets crash of 2007/8 and recovery has been extremely slow. The hurricanes of 2004/5 as noted before, is still affecting the people of and residents of this island. But to move on, to make it better seems to bee almost too hard for some. But it is

Again its been a while but there has been a lot going on in Grand Bahama. Positive vibes to all out there making it work for themselves and their communities. Realizing that elections are coming up next year, so far this year has seen a lot of things happen just in time to show off for the politicians. My feelings..... as long as things happen it doesn't matter who does it. So the long-awaited fire station is almost finished and ready for occupation. The Sir Jack Hayward Bridge is up and open and looking good; gives good visage as well. Road Traffic and the Grand Bahama Port Authority Ltd's have come together to try to curb speeding by implementing roundabouts and a video has been created to teach motorist how to use them properly. In the works, the causeway to replace the Fishing Hole Road is finally under way; more expansions at the Freeport Harbour; Lucayan Grand is reportedly sold; dormitories are being built for the College of The Bahama; new facilities for t

Grand Lucayan Resort The Hutchison Group of Companies and primarily their land holding company CK Holdings, has initiated a bid process for the Grand Lucayan Resort on Grand Bahama Island and I shall speak to this more succinctly on these developments in my remarks on the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. Memories Memories enjoyed a near 90% occupancy in 2014 and 2015, prior to feeling the impact of a much weakened Canadian economy compounded by its dollar being sharply devalued against the US dollar and by extension Bahamian dollar. This development dealt Memories a 30% decline in this past winter, i.e., December 2015through April 2016. Sunwing Group's strong focus on the US markets, through its Vacation Express subsidiary beginning late May, is already resulting in business rebounding to last year’s level and projected to exceed summer/fall of 2015. The Group expects to regain and maintain its 500 direct employees along with further indirect employment stimulation estimated as a

Nassau, Bahamas - Communication by the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie, M.P., Prime Minister and Member of Parliament for Centreville Review Of Expiring Concessions Contained in The Hawksbill Creek Grand Bahama (Deep Water Harbour And Industrial Area) Extension Of Tax Exemption Act, 1993 delivered in the House on May 9, 2016: Mr. Speaker, The review of the expiring concessions under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement has afforded my Government the opportunity to conclude arrangements aimed at strengthening and expanding the economy of Grand Bahama. When my administration took office four years ago, the economy of Grand Bahama was depressed with high unemployment and resultant economic hardships.Tourism was in severe decline with low hotel occupancies. A number of hotels had closed and there was inadequate airlift. With the cooperation of Hutchison, the largest hotel owner in Grand Bahama., we were able to arrange for Sunwing of Canada to renovate and re-open the closed Reef Hotel, a