Bahamas News
BAHAMAS: West End set to get economic boost with $2 Billion Grand Bahama Bay
#GrandBahama, June 13, 2018 – Bahama – Grand Bahama’s much anticipated economic turnaround took a positive step with a major 
investment in West End expected to come on stream soon, pending the signing of a Heads of Agreement with the Government of The Bahamas.
Attending a Town Hall Meeting in West End on Friday, June 8, 2018 to discuss the investment were: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest; Minister of State for Grand Bahama, Senator Kwasi Thompson; Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, and Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe, representatives of BEST Commission, and residents from West End who turned out in full force to hear first-hand about the plans for the new Grand Bahama Bay.
“The unique thing about this project thus far is the level of local community involvement that has been a part of the project, and this Town Hall meeting is just another example of that,” said Minister Turnquest, following the meeting.
“The proposed overall project is very exciting for West End and for Grand Bahama and it could signal the beginning of the turnaround that we have been talking about for Grand Bahama. We are very excited about this project and what it could mean for this community.”
The proposed project could comprise over $2 billion invested in the quaint community of West End. Grand Bahama Bay is a project to be undertaken by Skyline Investments, through Grand Palm Beach Acquisitions Limited. The Canadian-based company has proposed to purchase 2,012 acres of real property, located in the western section of Grand Bahama Island, previously known as the Ginn Sur Mer Project.
The new development will be known as Grand Bahama Bay.
The Town Hall Meeting was held at Mary Magdalene Anglican Church in West End and was hosted by the Member of Parliament, Mrs. Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe, who said that the purpose of the meeting was two-fold – to present information and obtain feedback from the community.
One of the key principals in Skyline Investments, Danny Rothman, Chief Operating Officer, was on hand to share his vision with the people of West End and to hear their concerns.
“We have an opportunity to do something big, something unique, not just in Grand Bahama, but in the entire Caribbean,” said Mr. Rothman. “And the community of West End will play a big role in making this dream a reality.”
With over 2,000 acres at their disposal, Skyline Investments is looking to develop a one-of-a-kind resort that will include three hotels, including a Ritz Carlton Hotel; a major marina with some 150 slips; commercial shopping district with restaurants, ice cream parlors, retail and boutique stores, a supermarket, a resident village, with state-of-the-art homes for sale; a Smart City, which will act as a headquarters to high tech start-ups; personal businesses and consultancies, which will attract innovators from all over the world; state-of-the-art solar energy system making Grand Bahama Bay the first fully integrated green community in the Caribbean; a casino and another marina that will be designed specifically to accommodate mega yachts.
Deputy Prime Minister Turnquest noted that a great feature of the project is it will allow guests at the hotels to intermingle with the residents of West End, which will help to expand the cultural experience of visitors to Grand Bahama, West End in particular.
“Normally, in developments like these they try to keep the visitors in the hotels to one side and the residents to the other, but this project will allow interaction,” he said — part of the charm of West End being its people and its culture.
“The fact that the developers have agreed to be a part of this Town Meeting indicates their willingness to have the people involved in this project, even before anything actually begins, and that to me is a good thing.”
Minister of State for Grand Bahama, Senator Kwasi Thompson said the meeting between the developer and the people of West End was an important one, particularly before the signing of the Heads of Agreement. He noted that the Developer presented the vision to the people, who were receptive to the project. He pointed out that while some residents expressed some concerns, for the most part, the proposed project was well received by the people of West End.
“The employment levels are going to go up, the construction activity is going to go up, retail sales are going to go up and the tourism numbers are going to go up,” added Minister Thompson.
“There is no doubt that this project is going to provide great opportunity for West End in particular, and for Grand Bahama, generally. We are going to work very hard to help this development come to fruition and to see some real opportunity be provided for the people of Grand Bahama.”
Deputy Prime Minister Turnquest said now that the Government and the Developer have gotten favourable feedback from the residents of West End, plans are underway to arrange the signing of a Heads of Agreement for the project.
“There is no doubt that this project will be beneficial to Grand Bahama both in the short term and in the long term once this project begins,” said Minister Turnquest. “But overall, we’re excited about the amount of jobs that will be provided by a project of this magnitude in every single phase.”
Director of Operations for the West End project, Derek Gape, stated that the project will develop over a 10-year period. Mr. Gape explained that following the signing of the Heads of Agreement with the Government of The Bahamas, initial goals for the first 24 months of the project will include: creating a new 120-room hotel with commercial retail spaces and amenities; redeveloping and reopening the West End Airport; adding an additional 75 slips to the existing marina at the current Old Bahama Bay site; and bringing the world-class golf course into full operation.
By: Andrew Coakley (BIS)
Photo Captions:
Header: A Heads of Agreement between the Government of The Bahamas and Skyline Investments is expected to be signed soon for a major development in West End. A Town Hall meeting, to give West End residents the vision for Grand Bahama Bay, was held on Friday, June 8, 2018 at Mary Magdalene Anglican Church in West End. The meeting produced a favourable response from residents. On hand for the meeting were (from left) Don Cornish (Administrator for West End); Harcourt Brown, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister; Senator Kwasi Thompson, Minister of State for Grand Bahama; Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe, Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini; Danny Rothman, Chief Operating Officer for Skyline Investments; Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon. Peter Turnquest and Derek Gape, Director of Operations for Skyline Investments.
Insert: Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister and Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe answering a question, during the question-and-answer period of a Town Hall meeting in West End on Friday, June 8, 2018. The purpose of the meeting was for developers of Grand Bahama Bay to present their vision for a major development in West End over a 10-year period, which could revive entire West Grand Bahama. Listening were (l-r) Minister of State for Grand Bahama, Senator Kwasi Thompson; Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon. Peter Turnquest and Danny Rothman, Chief Operating Officer for Skyline Investments.
(BIS Photos/Andrew Miller)
The Rick Fox Political Timeline
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“I’m Giving The Salary Back”
Fox announced he would not take a parliamentary salary if elected, saying the funds should instead go back into helping the people of
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A heated confrontation involving Fox and PLP supporters outside the Parliamentary Registration Department exploded across social media after video captured the tense exchange.
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Fox’s former wife, actress and singer Vanessa Williams publicly endorsed his campaign.
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NBA icon Magic Johnson became the latest major celebrity to endorse Fox just one day before Bahamians went to the polls.
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Fox publicly conceded the race and congratulated Bowleg on his victory in Garden Hills.
May 18, 2026
“We Pick Rick”
Despite losing at the polls, Fox officially entered Parliament after being appointed to the Senate by the FNM — with the party itself declaring:
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The appointment made Fox one of the most internationally recognized figures ever to serve in the Bahamian Senate.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
Bahamas News
First Woman to Lead Tourism Ministry: Glenys Hanna-Martin Takes On Bahamas’ Leading Industry
The Bahamas, May 22, 2026 – Veteran parliamentarian Glenys Hanna-Martin has made history, becoming the first woman to lead the Ministry of Tourism in The Bahamas — assuming responsibility for the country’s most important economic engine 62 years after tourism first gained Cabinet-level representation.
Tourism received its first Cabinet minister on January 7, 1964, when Sir Stafford Sands was appointed Minister of Finance and Tourism,
helping shape what would become the dominant pillar of the Bahamian economy.
Now, six decades later, Hanna-Martin steps into the role as the nation’s first female Tourism Minister.
The longtime Englerston Member of Parliament moves into the powerful portfolio following years overseeing education and after building one of the most enduring political careers in modern Bahamian history.
Hanna-Martin is widely regarded as the country’s longest-serving female MP, having represented Englerston continuously since 2002.
Her appointment comes at a critical moment for the tourism sector, which continues to drive employment, foreign exchange earnings, hotel development, cruise expansion and airlift growth across the archipelago.
The scale of the industry she now oversees is staggering.
According to tourism and government data, The Bahamas welcomed a record 12.5 million visitors in 2025, including roughly 10.8 million cruise passengers and 1.7 million air arrivals.
Tourism is estimated to generate roughly 70 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and employs more than half of the Bahamian workforce either directly or indirectly.
The industry also continues to fuel massive hotel and resort expansion projects across Nassau, Grand Bahama and the Family Islands, while
helping sustain airlift partnerships, cruise port investments and vacation rental growth.
The Ministry of Tourism is widely viewed as one of the most influential assignments in any Bahamian Cabinet because of its direct connection to the nation’s economic stability and international image.
And while regional competition intensifies across the Caribbean, The Bahamas remains one of the world’s most recognized island tourism brands.
Hanna-Martin now inherits responsibility for protecting and expanding that position.
Her political career has already included several barrier-breaking milestones, including becoming the first female chairman of a major political party in The Bahamas and the first female Minister of Transport and Aviation.
Now, she adds another first to her legacy.
For many observers, the significance of the moment extends well beyond symbolism.
Tourism is not simply another ministry.
It is the heartbeat of the Bahamian economy.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
Bahamas News
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The Bahamas, May 22, 2026 – Questions and speculation intensified across The Bahamas Thursday night after Eyewitness News reported that Jonathan Eric Gardiner — the Election Day plane crash survivor now accused in a major international cocaine trafficking conspiracy — was allegedly a no-show for a scheduled US court appearance.
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Gardiner first appeared in federal court in Orlando on May 15 following his arrest on a New York federal warrant tied to a DEA investigation into alleged cocaine trafficking operations running through The Bahamas into the United States.
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Public speculation has centered heavily around West End MP Kingsley Smith, who has denied any involvement in drug trafficking or cartel activity.
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Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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