Friends,
This morning, we take a meaningful step forward. It may feel simple—breaking ground on a construction site—but behind it lies something far more important: progress, partnership, and the promise of a better future for the people of South Eleuthera.
The Cotton Bay Holdings Project is a $200 million investment into this island. It reflects the confidence international investors have in our country, our economy, and our people. It also reflects something more profound—the belief that growth should reach every corner of our nation, and that no island should be left behind.
This first phase will see the development of 320 acres. It includes a 115-room luxury hotel, 40 private villas, a restored golf course, restaurants, a commercial centre, employee housing, and infrastructure to support it all. A comprehensive development, planned with long-term sustainability in mind.
During construction, 200 jobs will be created. Once the resort opens, 250 to 300 Bahamians will find stable employment. For many families, this will mean more security, more opportunities, and the ability to plan ahead with confidence.
And that is what good government is about. Creating the conditions for working people to build better lives—for themselves, for their children, for their communities.
Friends,
I think its also important to say that growth cannot come at any cost. It must be responsible. It must be fair. It must include the people who call this island home.
This government has made it a requirement—across every major investment—that Bahamians be involved, from day one. Not only in labour, but in management. Not only in service, but in ownership. The days of being observers to our own development are over.
The developers behind this project have worked closely with the Bahamas Investment Authority, with local government, and with community stakeholders to ensure this development works in harmony with its surroundings.
Plans to realign Chris Brown Boulevard—formerly Coco Plum Road—have been subject to consultation, ensuring that access, mobility, and safety are given proper attention.
Employee housing, back-of-house utilities, nursery services—these aren’t extras. They are part of a model that sees workers as people, not just as inputs on a balance sheet. And I welcome that.
But I say this: we will hold every developer accountable to these commitments. Because the future we are building demands more than ribbon cuttings. It demands results. It demands integrity.
To the people of South Eleuthera, your patience has not gone unnoticed. Too often, you have seen grand promises without follow-through. Today, you are seeing action. Real equipment. Real capital. Real momentum.
To our young people—this is a door opening. Train. Prepare. Step forward. This isn’t a handout. It’s a hand-up. Your government has fought hard to create the conditions for opportunity. Now we need you to seize it.
To the developers and their team, thank you for believing in The Bahamas. You’ve chosen a site rich in history and full of potential. That comes with responsibility—to honour the land, work with the people, and build something that lasts.
And to my colleagues in Cabinet, and the public servants who brought this across the line: thank you for your work. Quiet dedication often goes unnoticed, but not today.
This government believes in a simple principle: the job of leadership is to serve. To build. To protect. And to do so with humility and purpose.
We do not govern for applause. We govern for results. And what you see here today is the result of months of careful planning and negotiation—focused always on one thing: delivering for the Bahamian people.
South Eleuthera deserves what every part of our country deserves—jobs that support families, infrastructure that works, investment that uplifts, and leadership that listens.
Friends
I know this project will be a turning point. Not just for this community, but for how we think about development in our islands. Where the people who live here help shape what is built. Where long-term benefit is more important than short-term headlines. And where success is measured not in square footage, but in lives improved.
That’s the standard we’re setting. That’s the vision we’re working towards. And that’s the future we are determined to deliver.
Thank you. May God bless South Eleuthera, and may God bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.