By BARBARA WALKIN

Senior FN Reporter

barbara@nasguard.com

Grand Bahama is poised for an infusion of major projects that will usher in an unprecedented level of development that bodes well for the future of the island's economy.

Announcing this Saturday evening during the Chamber of Commerce installation banquet in the Westin at Our Lucaya, Prime Minister Perry Christie said the "unprecedented level of development is beyond political debate; it is not to be controversial."

"It is simply to state the fact that as our country moves into the future, peo ple of the world with money repose more and more confidence in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas," Prime Minister Christie said.

Revealing that Pharma-Chem in Grand Bahama recently received FDA approval to begin manufacturing an antiviral drug to be used in the treatment of AIDS, Prime Minister Christie said this and other future projects slated for Grand Bahama Island will secure economic stability for the next 10 years.

Those projects include the proposed Ginn's developments for East and West Grand Bahama; a $50 million resort development for Deadman's Reef; the Marriott Corporation's proposed 400-room time-share facility for the Barbary Beach area, and a Marriott brand hotel and 350-unit time-share resort for the Discovery Bay area, among the developments outlined for Grand Bahama.

"This is a very important time in the history of our country and as the frontiers of development extend themselves, there might be those of you and those of us who will purposely move to the new frontier to participate in the opportunities that the new economy and new developments will present," said Prime Minister Christie.

He noted that as early as this year other islands in The Bahamas will "see and hear" of new major million dollar developments, Mr. Christie reiterated that there are people who want to invest in The Bahamas.

"The reality is that there are people who would wish to invest, people who would wish to travel, people who would wish to have second homes in our Commonwealth, because of the safety and security in which to bring their children," Mr. Christie said.

"They (investors) demonstrate by their investment dollars and their proposals that this country enjoys a level of confidence because of its democracy, stability and security people enjoy in this country," the Prime Minister said. "So, it is time for those of you who lead to join all of us in trying to impress upon everyone that we live in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and that not everyone will find a job on the island on which they were born."

Bahamians, he added, must be prepared to move to the new frontier to participate in the opportunities that new development and new economies will present.

"It is imperative that we speak with a certain knowledge that the country will advance untold opportunities for many of us who will have the will and are sufficiently mobile to move to those islands to supplement the workforce that exists," advised the Prime Minister.

Mr. Christie said Grand Bahama is fortunate to have the most diversified economy of all the Bahama Islands, adding that "we are about to make the industrial base in Grand Bahama even stronger."

Referring to the LNG Project that has been proposed for the Old Bahama Cement site, he said it has yet to be approved, clearly indicating that the decision will be guided by environmental studies.

He said that when it comes to any kind of industry that might have the slightest possibility of causing harm to anyone, he "works on a worst case scenario."

"There is no doubt that both sides can argue their case," Mr. Christie said. "There might be a more compelling case in support of... but that is therefore for me, a reason not to diminish my support for it, but to increase the effort to place it in a position where it could happen without even raising the debate. And so, I was so pleased when I saw the corporate network of Tractabel, El Paso and the introduction to The Bahamas as a player of Florida Power and Light."

The Prime Minister explained the Florida Power and Light uses 54 percent of the natural gas consumed in Florida, so "therefore if The Bahamas is to be a supplier, there is a guarantee that we will benefit from this exercise."

However, added Prime Minister Christie, "all that is said and all that is planned will amount to nought, if the people of Grand Bahama do not demonstrate the will to participate.

"It will come to nought and be meaningless, unless we together focus on creating meaningful opportunities for Bahamians," Mr. Christie said.

CELEBRATE 50 YEARS — This year the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the Government of The Bahamas will mark the 50th anniversary signing of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. Cutting a celebratory cake from left are: Mercynth Ferguson, Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Doswell Coakley, president of the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce; Willie Moss, president of the Grand Bahama Port Authority; Prime Minister Perry Christie and Janet Albury, GB Chamber Director. (Photo by BARBARA WALKIN)