By K. NANCOO-RUSSELL
Freeport News Reporter
Businesspersons throughout Grand Bahama are today mourning the loss of one of their comrades, who they say has made a significant contribution to the growth of business on the island.
Porter was well-known around the island for his many business ventures, especially in the area of real estate where he experienced many successes.
Members of the community yesterday described Porter as a business-savvy professional who knew the ins and outs of his industry and demonstrated a profound knowledge of the workings of business in whatever venture he undertook.
Greg Smith, a former president of the Chamber of Commerce, said in his opinion, when the history of business in Grand Bahama is written, Porter's name will go down as one of the persons who made a valuable contribution to the development of the island.
"He played a significant role in real estate and business on the whole. He invested in the island. Quite frankly, he wasn't afraid to invest when a lot of other black Bahamians were afraid to invest," said Smith.
Noting that the businessman will be sorely missed, Smith likened Porter to American business tycoon Donald Trump.
"He did a number of things that I think positively impacted our economy in Grand Bahama. Beyond that he was a likable person, he was very down to earth and enjoyed a good conversation, enjoyed engaging persons."
Veteran real estate agent and former Chamber of Commerce president Hillary Jones also commented on the passing of Porter, who she worked closely with, saying that she is finding it hard to come to terms with the idea that he had passed.
"I was very saddened when I heard of Oscar's death. He was one of the founding members of the Grand Bahama Real Estate Association and has been very, very much involved in getting things done especially in the real estate industry," she said, noting that most recently, they had spoken about trying to revive the Grand Bahama Real Estate Association.
"Oscar has always been a go-getter and a trooper. He always had a flair for getting clients, he talked a lot and he knew his business. He's really going to be missed."
Describing him as an energetic person who was always very friendly and "loads of fun," Jones said he was also very serious about his work.
Longtime friend of the late businessman, Gladstone "Moon" McPhee said Porter was a good man who will be greatly missed by the community at large.
"I know Oscar Porter from a young man in New Providence. We came a long way," he said.
McPhee shared some memories of times with Porter, and said he was sad that persons in the community did not take the time to recognize the contributions of certain individuals until their passing.
Porter was born in Staniard Creek, Andros and started his career with Bahamas Telecommunications (BA-TELCO) as a wireless tele-graphist. He worked in a number of islands including Cat Cay, Bimini, Andros, Nassau and Grand Bahama.
As personnel director of the Grand Bahama Development Company and other related Port Companies, Porter travelled back and forth to Nassau trying to recruit employees through the Ministry of Labour to work in Freeport at a time when much of the workforce on the island was made up of expatriates.
Porter then ventured off into Real Estate, successfully completing a number of real estate courses both in The Bahamas and internationally.
In the 70s, Porter acquired the real estate firm of Tennant and Cooper Ltd. and maintained four real estate offices in Freeport as well as a branch in Nassau with more than 19 agents.
Tennant and Cooper was appointed exclusive agents for the Grand Bahama Development Company and was responsible for all the out-island sales and overseas brokerage.
Throughout the 1970s, Tennant and Cooper bought, sold and developed real estate in Freeport. The company developed parts of Fortune Bay, building about 24 homes. He also represented Hyatt Hotels, the developers of Lucayan Towers North.
The real estate broker purchased the Winston Churchill Pub and developed the adjoining cluster of shops called the Porter Plaza.
Over the years, the club morphed into a dining complex as well, housing Le Tropics nightclub, formerly Captain Kenny's and Club 2000 as well as Le Chicken Shack and the Garden Bar, famous for its weekly Crab Fest.
Throughout the 80s and 90s, Porter extended his holdings to include the purchase of Columbus Theatre as well as four Baskin Robbins stores, three of which were built in Nassau.
Porter was also a part of the group that bought and later sold the Freeport Taxi Company and accompanying gas station. He also owned Enterprise Rent-a-Car Company in Andros.
Porter served as president for the Grand Bahama Real Estate Board for more than 10 years and was also a former Bahamas Real Estate Association director.
He was a former director of the Chamber of Commerce and got involved in service organizations such as the Kiwanis Club of Lucaya, where he served as president from 1975-76.
As chairman of the first Grand Bahama Junkanoo Committee, Porter witnessed the emergence of Junkanoo in Freeport in the late 60s and early 70s.
He was an avid sailor - his vessel, a C-class boat named Lady Ruth sailed in most of the country's regattas, winning in that division in the Grand Bahama, Andros, Cat Island, Exuma and Acklins Island regattas.
