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It is time to stop GBPA agents from questioning the authority of the Bahamian government…and cut the GBPA’s shackles off!
Dear Bahamas News Agency.
The ongoing public spat between the Bahamian government and the out-of-control Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) is a cautionary tale of what can happen when a group of powerful investors truly believe that they, and not elected members of Parliament, are the government.
The conflict has its roots in the Hawkesbill Creek Agreement, a key agreement signed in 1955 between the Bahamian government and Wallace Groves to promote economic development on Grand Bahama Island through the creation of a city and free trade zone. Wallace Groves was granted 50,000 acres of land with the option to develop an additional 50,000 acres.
This led to the creation of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, which was charged with developing and managing the land, which eventually formed the City of Freeport. The agreement included significant tax breaks for the Port Authority, such as exemptions from income, capital gains, real estate and private property taxes until 1985, which were then extended to 2054. Under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, the GBPA was charged with several key responsibilities for developing the area:
1. Infrastructure Development: They will build roads, utilities, and other necessary infrastructure to support the growth of the new city.
2. Economic Growth: GBPA attracts businesses and industries to the region by offering tax incentives and other benefits.
3. Urban Planning: Responsible for planning and developing the Freeport City, including residential, commercial and industrial areas.
4. Port operations: Establish and manage free ports to promote trade and commerce.
5. Tourism Promotion: Develop tourism facilities and promote Grand Bahama Island as a tourist destination.
These efforts were designed to turn Grand Bahama into a thriving economic hub, and they worked remarkably well—until the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government came to power. By then, of course, the GBPA no longer acted like a leaseholder, but instead seemed to think that Grand Bahama was their private fiefdom, to be managed as they wished, but only to serve their shareholders and the compliant black elite they had created and cultivated.
So imagine how shocked and dismayed these supposedly empowered people were when Prime Minister Lynden Pindling told them that was not the case. Imagine how horrified they were when they were spoken to with authority by a Nassau native while Grand Bahamian people insulted and laughed at him. “Seaweed” and “Driftwood”.
Newspaper reports at the time said, “Lynden Pindling published his famous “Bend or break” Speech delivered at the opening of the BORCO Refinery in Freeport, The Bahamas, July 26, 1969. The speech was a significant moment in Bahamian history, reflecting the Government’s commitment to ensuring a more equitable distribution of economic opportunities and benefits to Bahamians.
In this speech, Prime Minister Pindling made it clear that Government will not tolerate GBPA overreach and will ensure that the benefits of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement are shared by all Bahamians, not just a select few.
Overall, the “Bend or Break” speech served as a catalyst for significant social and economic change in the Bahamas, strengthening the government’s resolve to create a more equitable society.
The speech was certainly music to the ears of the residents of the Bahamas outside of Freeport who suffered discrimination and were denied the licenses required by the GBPA to operate in Freeport. However, the Freeport elites saw it as the death knell of their ongoing plans to plunder and repatriate wealth and fortune from the Bahamas.
These disaffected elites have been expressing their discontent for years by obstructing PLP proposals and engaging in political activities designed to marginalize “outsiders”, while they continue to blindly cater to the whims and fancies of the GBPA overlords.
I lived in Grand Bahama in the 1970s and witnessed first-hand the disdain Bahamian citizens suffered, especially from foreign concessionaires. I was surprised that the Bahamian government, especially the PLP, was willing to spend money to keep the Freeport going, as Grand Bahamians generally did not support the PLP.
When the GBPA threatened to fire Freeport air traffic controllers, leading to the closure of Grand Bahama International Airport, the PLP government rehired them, some on much better terms than before.In fact, despite the Free National Movement holding a majority in Grand Bahama, no one could honestly point out what benefit it had gained from it.
GBPA has violated the Hawksbill Turtle Agreement. The evidence is clear. Closing of hotels, lack of tourism promotion, international bazaars and all the businesses that once thrived
If the central government does not intervene, the infrastructure will be in shambles.
GBPA’s actions have caused a severe decline in the local economy, with many businesses closing down and infrastructure deteriorating, while FNM politicians (all past or present GBPA licensees) complain and spread conspiracy theories and continue to make a living from their connection to the port while ordinary Grand Bahamians suffer.
It is time to stop this nonsense immediately and completely.
It is time to stop GBPA personnel from questioning the authority of the Bahamian government.
It is time to cut off the purse strings and give GBPA a reasonable amount of time to fulfill its duties and responsibilities under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement or get out of our lives.
Now is the time LO Pindling’s Freeport and Grand Bahama dreams come true.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Brown
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