Good morning, everyone.
Thank you, to the Counsellors, for the invitation to join you today.
You know, there’s no place like home.
Now, it’s true we’ve all heard people from other places say that, too – but when it comes to Cat Islanders…we really mean it.
There’s no place like Cat Island, and no one quite like my fellow Cat Islanders.
I know you all join me in mourning the passing of a great Cat Islander and Bahamian, a giant in music, a rake ‘n scrape legend – Edmund Rahming of the Lassie Doe Boys.
The Lassie Doe Boys are true true Bahamian, and Edmund’s talents have been so much a part of their success.
He joins the ranks of other late, great Cat Islanders like Tony McKay, Phil Stubbs, and Sir Sidney.
Eddie, you will be missed.
Cat Island may be a small island, in a small country – but we’re capable of producing greatness, that much is clear.
This is something I’ve known for a long time – and I’m proud to say my colleagues in government share both this conviction and my commitment to developing the potential of Cat Island.
We see enormous opportunity for Family Islanders, in the years ahead.
The world is changing in extraordinary ways. For as long as any of us can remember, people on our islands have been confronted with a choice: stay or go. On the one hand – there are the many joys of small island life, the beauty of everyday living, the peace and quiet, the special traditions and the close-knit communities. But on the other hand – access to certain opportunities, to higher education, to advanced health care – these have too often required moving away from home.
Well, just around the corner, there’s a future where many Cat Islanders, and other Family Islanders, get the best of both worlds.
Technology is changing, and as it does, we can transform the classrooms, workplaces, and clinics on our Family Islands. We can build access to online education and skills-building, to support our teachers and schools. We can create remote work opportunities, allowing for the professional development and higher incomes that have been harder to find on our quieter islands. We can use telemedicine services to support patients and health care professionals in our clinics, for faster and more accurate diagnoses, and for prescribing treatment plans.
Emerging technologies have only strengthened our conviction that our Family Islands belong at the heart of our country’s national development. Developing our beautiful Family Islands – each one unique, each one special – is the path forward to a much more inclusive Bahamian economy, one in which opportunity and prosperity reach farther and wider than ever before.
But first things first. Let’s talk about where we’ve come from, and where we’re headed.
Three years ago, we asked Bahamians for the honour of leading the country forward, and we laid out a vision for recovering, rebuilding, and revolutionizing our economy.
At the time, our country’s economy was in tatters, our nation’s finances in freefall, our hospitals, schools, and communities in crisis.
And as we entered office, a global inflation crisis led to prices rising across the world faster than they had in more than 40 years.
So the first job was recovery – digging out of crisis.
We terminated harmful, punitive policies, and replaced them with policies that offered relief and renewal.
We pulled the country back from a fiscal cliff. All the talk of downgrades and currency devaluation – we ended all of that, and stabilized the country’s finances.
Next up – rebuilding: We are revitalizing tourism, creating new jobs, partnerships, and investments. The National Statistical Institute reported earlier this week that unemployment is at 8.7% – the lowest rate since 2008.
We gained respect and standing on the global stage, we got our country off the blacklist, and we are promoting our islands, fighting for fair climate finance, bringing major sporting events to The Bahamas, and strengthening partnerships to protect our borders.
Now we’re working for change across the country, investing in our people, and building the 21st century economy we deserve. As we like to say, we didn’t come here to defend the status quo, we came here to change it.
I am glad to say, that Cat Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador are part of this story of change and progress.
We have a lot of work ahead, but we are finally headed in the right direction.
Last year, the combined GDP of Cat Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador totalled more than $58 million – a 16% increase compared to the year before — and nearly double the $34 million recorded in 2021.
Year by year, we are establishing a clear upward trajectory.
Last year, Cat Island experienced the highest number of foreign air arrivals since 2008.
In San Salvador, we are close to achieving full employment.
In fact, San Salvador experienced 16,000 arrivals in 2023, four times higher than the year prior, and the highest since 2019. In 2024, we are seeing similar success.
This is a strong start, but it’s just the beginning.
I mentioned the global inflation crisis earlier – well, it’s still impacting economies across the world. And when you have an economy like ours, in which nearly everything is imported, the hurt and pain caused by rising prices hits especially hard.
We are tackling the affordability crisis in multiple ways. One of the most important is our aggressive energy reform agenda.
We are investing in solar microgrids across our Family Islands, and we introduced LNG to our fuel mix to produce less expensive, more reliable electricity.
We also recently adjusted fuel surcharges and consumption rates to lower prices for consumers.
Thus, in the month of September, 397 BPL customers in Cat Island and 127 in San Salvador experienced savings of 44 to 48%. 295 customers in Cat Island and 161 in San Salvador experienced savings between 20 to 44%, and hundreds more experienced more moderate savings up to 20%.
The good news is that this is just the beginning. As the extensive upgrades to our power grid are carried out, and as we integrate solar power and LNG, we can expect more significant price decreases for households and businesses throughout the nation.
In addition to energy reforms, we are also exploring new avenues for trade that will allow us to procure more affordable goods from international markets, even as we incentivise farming at home to lower our food import bill.
Bringing down everyday costs is crucial to helping Family Islanders thrive.
Also critical to the quality of life on our islands – and to attracting major private investment — are the long overdue upgrades and modernization of our infrastructure.
We are making sure that more top investors know that the Family Islands are perfect for high-end and boutique experiences for visitors who want an authentic, idyllic island experience.
The Ministry of Tourism, Investments, and Aviation, and the Bahamas Investment Authority, are meeting with investors and vetting their proposals so we can find high-quality investors who will be responsible stewards of our environment and partners in our communities, while also generating growth, jobs, and business opportunities.
We have major infrastructural improvements underway – and we are pushing back against slow-moving bureaucracy. That is a part of the status quo that we are changing.
We are also navigating the obstacles so many of you are familiar with – costs can be high, supplies and equipment are often not available locally, and shipping delays can throw off project timelines.
But we aren’t going to let those kinds of things slow us down unnecessarily.
We have taken on strategic partnerships to ensure that we can expedite progress.
Today, I am happy to provide an update on a number of our major developmental projects and partnerships:
The Cat Island Road Repairs Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project is an $82 million project, the largest of its kind ever undertaken on Cat Island, and is the result of a fruitful partnership between the Government of The Bahamas and the Cat Island Development Company.
It involves the re-construction of roughly 60 miles of main roads from Shannon’s Cove in the North to Hawks Nest in the South.
Additionally, over 95 miles of water mains will see upgrades and replacements, with new laterals and service connections.
You may have already seen the work underway – including the paving in the North, the seawall and sidewalk construction, well drilling, striping, and signage.
As of today, 200 water service laterals have been installed between Bain Town and Wilson’s Bay. Over 50,000 feet of pipe have been installed. And the paving process has started for 6 miles of road between Arthur’s Town and Bennett’s Harbour.
This expansive project is slated to be finished by early 2026, with roughly 20% of works already completed to date. It’s going to be a game changer – finally delivering the better roads and water supply that Cat Islanders deserve.
Progress is also well underway on the Arthur’s Town and New Bight Airports.
As you can imagine, unlike building an office building, the construction of an airport is a highly technical process.
For the New Bight International Airport, construction has required a complete architectural design process, an environmental assessment, rendering, and monitoring plan, and a geotechnical assessment to confirm suitability of the site.
A LiDar survey was conducted via a manned flight to ensure that the appropriate boundaries are maintained by surrounding landowners based on landing zone obstruction requirements.
A camp was also set up to provide housing for the many workers needed to accelerate the construction phase. Multiple permits required and have been obtained.
New Bight will have a sustainable tier 2 airport, with a new $10 million solar runway, an airport beacon, a new floodlighting system, and an adjacent police station.
A similar process was completed for the Arthur’s Town airport, which is in the midst of a complete reconstruction. Many of you have seen the construction as you pass by.
I have been advised that the upgrades are now halfway complete, with drainage works in progress and paving to start by late 2024.
Construction has started on the runway, which will include a complete resurfacing of all seven thousand feet and the installation of new approach and runway lights. This work will be completed during the first quarter of 2025.
The old Arthur’s Town Terminal has been demolished. A new five thousand four hundred square-foot terminal is being constructed in the same location as the previous terminal. The Terminal is scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2025. As the work moves forward, the surrounding area will be fully landscaped, and expanded parking will be added to better accommodate visitors and locals.
These investments will play a major role in expanding local capacity for air arrivals and attracting more investments.
Last month, we signed a Heads of Agreement for the construction of two new desalination plants for Cat Island, one each in the North and South.
A new facility at New Bight will commence water production by April 2025, while the Bennett’s Harbour site, pending environmental review, should be finished by September 2025.
With two new desalination plants, in tandem with the infrastructural expansions being executed through the PPP project, over 1,100 homes and businesses across Cat Island will receive high-quality, desalinated, piped potable water for the first time.
These upgrades will bring tremendous economic benefits for Cat Island, while ensuring residents enjoy the same access to quality public services as people living in the capital.
San Salvador is by no means left out as our Renaissance Airport Project, which is slated to renovate and expand 14 Family Island Airports, will include San Salvador International Airport.
Additional plans call for the renovation of the Rum Cay Airport terminal and the construction of a new Administration building on-island.
Of course, expanding access to quality health care is also essential for the quality of life on our islands.
You may have heard that the government purchased new ambulances for the Family Islands; two of these vehicles have been earmarked specifically for Cat Island.
The Old Bight clinic is under construction – but I know that doesn’t mean much to Cat Islanders until the doors are open and you and your loved ones are receiving care from health care professionals. Hastening that day is a priority for me and for Minister Darville.
The Orange Creek clinic is currently being assessed by the Ministry of Works. For the Stevenson Clinic, a contract will soon be awarded with the same directive as the others: we need these clinics up and running as soon as possible.
The same goes for the planned improvements to clinics on San Salvador and Rum Cay.
All three islands will have clinics with modern facilities and better equipment, staffed by newly-recruited nurses, doctors, and technicians.
The infrastructure and health care improvements are the necessary foundations for the best-of-all-worlds near-future I spoke about earlier. We can have that modern future right here – but we need to put the roads, airports, and clinics in place to support additional advancements in technology.
Of course, connectivity and digitalisation are also key to reducing the difficulties of island life.
That’s why we’re building a digital register of companies and an updated digital business licence process – all of which can be accessed remotely from the Family Islands.
We know that access to capital remains a challenge for small businesses.
This is by no means a new issue.
Funding from the SBDC, as well as the Bahamas Development Bank’s Family Island Grant, have been successful in supporting small businesses in our Family Islands.
But more can be done to expand access to finance for businesses of all sizes – both through direct government grants and loans but also through new avenues to private capital.
The more barriers are removed, the more the people of these islands will thrive.
And this is fertile soil for opportunity.
The most recent NSI data points to multiple contributors to GDP growth for all three islands. The categories include:
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing, wholesale and retail trade, motor vehicle repairs and transport and storage, which accounted for $11.6 million in GDP.
- Accommodation and Food Services, Arts, Other Services, and Household Employment, which accounted for $10.9 million in GDP.
- And Real Estate Activities, Owner Occupied Properties, and Rentals, which accounted for $15.2 million in GDP.
These numbers point to economic diversity as one of the core strengths of our Family Islands.
There is in fact a lot more to The Bahamas than tourism and financial services.
If we are serious about economic diversification, the pathway to greater diversity of industries must pass through our Family Islands.
Modernising industries like agriculture and fisheries, and leveraging the unique strengths of each island, will be key to reinvigorating our islands.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources has implemented a number of agricultural initiatives in Cat Island to support active and aspiring farmers. The Ministry has also already donated thousands of dollars of agricultural supplies to support farming initiatives at schools in Arthurs Town and Old Bight.
A new tractor, bush hog, marine patrol craft, as well as two new shade houses and several other pieces of farming equipment were also donated to support Cat Island farmers.
Soon, newly acquired drones, forthcoming training exercises for farmers, and our Community Kitchens initiative will further support our vision for a food secure Bahamas.
Set to be complete by the first quarter of 2025 in New Providence, Eleuthera, and Cat Island, these Community Kitchens will serve as important spaces for farmers to process, bottle, and package their excess produce for export.
The facilities, which will be staffed to ensure proper regulation and adherence to international standards, promise to catalyse agricultural exports like tamarind sauce, goat pepper flakes, or sea grape jelly.
Combined with the Agriculture grants issued by the SBDC, we expect to see major developments in our local farming industry.
My grandparents farmed the land here in Cat Island. I can only imagine their delight in some of the innovations that have developed since – agriculture now combines cutting-edge technology and data-driven practices with old-fashioned know-how, and some of our smartest entrepreneurs are beginning to understand and develop the potential of the industry.
As I close, ladies and gentlemen, I trust you see what I see for Cat Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador: a future ripe with possibilities.
The government is making the necessary investments in infrastructure and support of local businesses; the right partners are being brought on to expedite major projects; and record levels of investors are being brought in throughout our Family Islands.
Our work is beginning to produce noticeable results on the ground.
The economy is on the right track.
The job market is growing.
Our innovative policies and solutions are bearing fruit and investors are taking notice.
In just three years, we have secured over ten billion dollars in foreign direct investment, creating thousands of permanent jobs for Bahamians.
To sum it all up, our business outlook is full of great possibilities.
We must now work together, innovate together, and build together as we push for unprecedented progress on these three beautiful islands.
I can assure you that whatever your dreams are to drive progress here, my administration will partner with you to build the Cat Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador that our people truly deserve.
May God continue to nurture in us the audacity to dream big, and the determination to achieve those dreams together.
And May God Bless every one of you, and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.