Bahamas News
Major upgrades for Sandy Point airport and historic lighthouse under South Abaco development agreement
#SANDY POINT, Abaco – February 18, 2020 —- The Sandy Point airport will be expanded and enhanced under the heads of agreement signed between the Government of The Bahamas and Tyrsoz Family Holdings Ltd.
The existing airport will be improved in order to accommodate private jets and make it fully operational, inclusive of a fixed base operation, Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis noted at the agreement signing ceremony on Thursday 13 February at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church Hall.
The airport expansion and renovation will include a terminal, parking area and runway extension.
The Queen’s Highway roadway will also be expanded.
The development represents a minimum capital investment of $300 million and is expected to include a wide range of amenities, including the expansion and upgrade of the Sandy Point airport, a marina, golf course, clubhouse, restaurants, a retail and residential component, swimming pools, waterpark, utility services, resort accommodations and related amenities.
As a part of the community commitments outlined in the agreement, the historic Hole-in-the-Wall Lighthouse and surrounding area will get a $1 million-dollar facelift.
The operation and restoration of the lighthouse will be undertaken in partnership with the Government of The Bahamas, the Antiquities, Museums and Monuments Corporation (AMMC) and the Bahamas National Trust (BNT).
The Lighthouse’s outbuildings will be renovated to provide a small museum of the area and a shop featuring local artisans and craftspeople.
As a part of the Lighthouse renovation, the developer will:
• invest up to $500,000 dollars to create a safe and secure facility for the public to climb to the top of the Lighthouse;
• create the South Abaco Lighthouse Society (SALS), modeled after the highly successful Elbow Cay Lighthouse Society;
• provide a perpetual contribution of $250,000 per year and assist with organizing donations, and;
• invest up to $250,000 dollars to provide public access to the beach area near the Lighthouse.
Up to $250,000 dollars have also been committed to restore the Alexandria settlement ruins adjacent to the South West Point Development.
And $750,000 dollars have been committed for community development initiatives in Sandy Point, Abaco in coordination with the Sandy Point community and local government.
The developers have also agreed to cooperate with the BNT to help implement the conceptual plan for the Abaco National Park – up to $1 million – in certain agreed upon areas, including cleaning up the Abaco National Forest, signage, creating nature trails and a welcome center.
“We are an archipelago of enormous possibility, including a range of tourism amenities and services, with many linkages such as agriculture, fisheries, heritage tourism and the creative economy,” said Prime Minister Minnis.
“The island groups of The Bahamas must be developed in a sustainable manner, bearing the unique island heritage and signatures of our diverse islands and cays.”
#BARBADOS (September 26, 2023) – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) deeply mourns the loss of distinguished Bahamian leader and former chairman of the inter-regional body, Obediah Wilchcombe.
At the time of his passing, Mr. Wilchcombe was serving as Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting
and Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly of the Bahamas.
“We extend our heartfelt prayers and condolences to Minister Wilchcombe’s family, as well as the government and people of the Bahamas. He was a true champion for the people of the Bahamas and the wider Caribbean region,” remarked Kenneth Bryan, CTO Chairman and Minister of Tourism and Ports of the Cayman Islands.
Chairman Bryan recalled Minister Wilchcombe held the position of CTO Chairman twice (2002-2004 and 2016-2017) while serving as Minister of Tourism for the Bahamas, and contributed significantly to the advancement of sustainable tourism development in the Caribbean.
Chairman Bryan noted that the CTO plans to honor the life and legacy of “this eminent Bahamian leader” at the organization’s upcoming business meetings and the State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) in Turks and Caicos next month.
Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#TheBahamas, September 26, 2023 – The Bahamas’ Minister for Social Services, the Hon. Obediah Wilchcombe made headlines in a completely unexpected way on Monday September 25; the veteran broadcaster and long-time politician, who passed away suddenly in his home island, Grand Bahama.
Reports to our newsroom were that Wilchcombe was found unresponsive and rushed to the Rand Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Reports say the Minister passed due to heart failure at 64 years old.
The Office of the Prime Minister informed the prime minister would immediately travel to Freeport, Grand Bahama to be with loved ones of his Cabinet colleague.
The office offered this: Expressing condolences to the family, friends, loved ones and colleagues of Minister Wilchcombe, a true patriot, visionary leader and his cherished friend, the nation’s leader, in his official statement, said he was doing so with the heaviest of hearts.
“Obie’s untimely passing is very shocking and very sad. Even though he has achieved much in his many years of public service, he still had so much more to offer,” Prime Minister Davis said.
The Minister, affectionately called Obie Wilchcombe, was a fierce Member of Parliament who has been serving in politics for about 28 years, starting in 1994, according to the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP).
Not only did he serve as Senator and Cabinet Minister, but he was also the former Minister of Tourism and a National Chairman of the PLP.
“Our party is reeling this morning,” said Minister Fred Mitchell, current PLP National Chairman in a statement, “The party joins in those expressions. We have a deep sense of loss from one we have known over the decades of public life.
On behalf of the PLP, our leader and the entire team, supporters and friends, we can extend condolences to his family.”
Former prime minister and PLP party leader, Rt Hon Perry Christie said, “Obie served with distinction as Minister of Tourism. He was a dedicated servant of the people and a chief steward of our nation’s number one industry for some ten years. Any student of the tourism industry for the period of Obie’s ministerial tenure will be left in no doubt as to the magnitude and importance of his numerous accomplishments in relation to the growth and development of Bahamian tourism.”
In fact, as Tourism Minister, his notable accomplishments, according to party leader and prime minister, Davis included the introduction of sports tourism and the creation of a policy which helped to cement The Bahamas as an ideal film destination; two of the top three films of 2006 were shot in The Bahamas.
Additionally, the late Minister was a sportsman.
Wilchcombe served as former President of the Grand Bahama Basketball Association and the Commonwealth American Football League (CAFL).
His career in journalism is legendary. Having worked with the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas as a reporter, anchorman and eventually taking on leadership roles including Deputy General Manager. At the time of his death, Minister Wilchcombe was holder of the Information and Broadcast portfolios of the Davis Administration.
“This is a very sad occasion for the Commonwealth of the Bahamas as you’d be aware one of our Frontline soldiers who would have labored very long in the public service Vineyard had passed, we learned early this morning the Honorable Obie Wilchcombe passed away the free national movement wishes is to extend condolences to his immediate and extended family and to members of the Progressive Liberal Party and to members of the journalism fraternity, having lost someone who has played an integral role in the development of this country,” said Michael Pintard, fellow Grand Bahamian and Leader of the Official Opposition, Free National Movement.
From the region, there is also reflection and condolences. From the Caribbean Tourism Organization: The CTO
deeply mourns the loss of distinguished Bahamian leader and former chairman of the inter-regional body, Obediah Wilchcombe.
At the time of his passing, Mr. Wilchcombe was serving as Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, and Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly of the Bahamas.
“We extend our heartfelt prayers and condolences to Minister Wilchcombe’s family, as well as the government and people of the Bahamas. He was a true champion for the people of the Bahamas and the wider Caribbean region,” remarked Kenneth Bryan, CTO Chairman and Minister of Tourism and Ports of the Cayman Islands.
“The Premier and Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands sends its condolences to the family, friends, government, and people of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas on the sudden passing of the late Hon. Obediah Wilchcombe, Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, MP.
May his soul rest in peace,” said Hon Washington Misick, TCI Premier.
The death of Minister Obediah Wilchcombe is the first; a cabinet minister dying while still in office has no place in recent memory for many. It will mean a by-election for The Bahamas and a mournful experience when parliament reopens on October 4; Hon Wilchcombe with his vast experience and eloquence was also the Government Leader of Business in the House of Assembly, which is currently prorogued.
people of Grand Bahama, the Hon. Keith Bell, who recently took on the portfolio as the new minister of Housing and Urban Renewal, travelled to Grand Bahama, September 21, to meet with Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Ginger Moxey and relevant stakeholders.Top on the agenda was the decrepit state of the housing complex situated in the Garden Villas area, a stone’s throw away from the downtown shopping district.Minister Bell was also accompanied by Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal, the Hon. Lisa Rahming and a delegation from New Providence.Before conducting a walkabout in the Garden Villas area, Ministers Moxey and Bell headed the contingent in meetings with executives of the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the Grand Bahama Development Company
Thursday morning.“We’ve also had tours at various facilities that will help us carry through some of these projects that we want to do. But I’m just excited that we will begin to see action because there is so much that our people have been going through and so we are working hand in hand, the Ministry for Grand Bahama, Housing and Urban Renewal, to ensure that we not only bring relief but that we will revitalize these communities,” Minister Moxey said.The delegation performed a general walkthrough in the Garden Villas area to get a first-hand view of the living conditions and spoke to a number of residents.Cognizant of the work ahead and the relief it would bring to the area residents, Minister Moxey was elated to collaborate with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal and private stakeholders to get the projects started.
“I’m so excited that they are here on Grand Bahama to really assess the situation on the ground. There is a lot of work that needs to be done. We are now in the Garden Villas area that requires numerous issues to be addressed. One of them is housing. You can see many of these dilapidated structures that exist,” she said, while pointing out that Minister Bell has made Garden Villas a priority as one of the initial projects to be undertaken on Grand Bahama.The delegation also visited the area Urban Renewal Office and the Heritage Subdivision.
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