Flipping Grand Bahama

A good morning to you and what do you know about whats going on in Freeport, Grand Bahama? Well again we point out that work is continuing on The Pub on The Mall with hopes of another good a hang out for mature audiences. Ive heard from good sources that someone is working on the old Brittania Pub/and recently Red Beards. We are still checking into this to give you an idea of what is going on. Then of course stem cell research is being done in the Cardio Tech, which was the bowling alley.  And a new entertainment, event destination is being created by Jen Williams at the old Mini-Golf with lots of areas being dedicated to kids. We will have a place now for the young people to go (with prior reservations) to have a lot of fun - even with a mini golf. Im told the next All White Affair is scheduled to take place right here. Now to my astonishment and delight I was recently told that the the store spaces downtown were recently sold, but unfortuna...

I got up with this thought in my head this morning, as I think of the possibilities of Grand Bahama. Do listen to Doris Day and get that positive feeling that we can do it! We can change Grand Bahama! And we can start with a mite just today. Ive been listening to people like  Dale Carnegie, Zig Zigler, Wayne Dyer,  Og Mandino,  Napoleon Hill  and Joel Osteen just yesterday and they all seem to have a message that a friend of mine recently told me as she faces tragedy - one day at a time. There is no such think as multi-tasking. You need to give what you are doing your all. Do it one day, one moment at a time. That is quite an eye opener. Another message everyone seem to have is that you need to have a dream/goal and to write it down, no matter how impossible it appears. Have something to aim for - set up your dart board, then put then dart in your hand a few paces back and go for it. Once you have written down this goal, the only way you will remember in th...

Speaking of what's going on in Grand Bahama…. I came across this recently and though it would be a great share: And coming soon… We will be interviewing some great ladies doing some great work in Grand Bahama.

So Im thinking…. What are some of the ways in which we can bring the island to life. Let's not say back to life, but move on and say "to life" as we even toast it. Somethings that came to mind, and your a free to write in to give your suggestions, but … here we go A music festival… bringing in a lot of talent and people. A music destination, as a number or Caribbean countries have done in the recent past. Almost all have Jazz Festivals, and Carnivals, Crop Over, etc. A comedy festival and invite some of the great comedians to come and perform over a three or four day weekend. These people have followings that would come from everywhere around the world and we would get to host them. International wine or rum tasting expos. How about making sea grape wines from our grapes already grown here? Then I was thinking, how about we bring back the marathons which again brings people from all over the world. Light manufacturing factories…. such as clothing, shoes...

The optimism of this blog is meant only to inspire others to think of what they can do to make life better for themselves and for the island which would mean making it better for the country. Asked about my blog, I thought it was self explanatory. Grand Bahama has been looking for a saviour and the residents need to wake up and realize they are that saviour and they need to begin by doing something. We have been through some of the history of Freeport and the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. In the archives there is the entire (well almost entire) Hawksbill Creek Agreement and the Bend or Break speech by the late Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling first Prime Minister of The Bahamas. There is a saying that if you don't know your past your are doomed to repeat it. In the past we had waited for the investors and we have planned on jobs that we don't want to work but  we have plotted on making money without working. Its time to re-think our future and make it one that says we are ...

I heard of a story of a young man in Grand Bahama being counseled recently and I can only applaud the gentleman who did the counseling. The young man had apparently went to restaurant to beg for food but what he got was so much more as the business man explained that if he fed him, he would be back but explained to him the ways of the system and how to get some money and how to help himself. Then came the important question that he asked the young man, "but, what are you doing for you?" It is a wake up call for all Grand Bahama residents living here after the storms of 2004/2005 - "What are you doing for you?" Yes it has been rough but there is something you can do. Yes the government and the Grand Bahama Port Authority pose some challenges especially if you think you don't know someone important or that you are not connected to someone important. But you can do something for you. If there are no jobs, follow your passion and do what you love to do...

On this brand new day that we have never seen before and promises a lot I decided to take a look back. I have been promising to do this for a while but could not find the information I wanted but here it is. For many years there have been persons who suggested that the country as a whole become more diversified. Speaking at a Rotary Club meeting in January 1999 then Practice Leader of the Freeport Practice Group of Deloitte & Touche Chartered Accountants Subir Das Gupta said the economy of The Bahamas needed restructuring. At the point in time, prior to the crippling hurricanes, he said that the Bahamian economy was at a watershed point as we looked at the then Free Trade Area of the Americas. Funny enough his words were, "The national debt is escalating, unemployment remains at a high level while domestic ownership of the key tourism and financial services sector is limited." Hmmm…. He then suggested that we go from Nassau to National as he noted that th...