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Monday, January 5, 2026
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Pintard presses Davis on Grand Bahama delays • Opposition cites rising costs, strained services OPPOSITION Leader • Calls grow for transparency Michael Pintard has renewed calls for the Davis on major deals administration to advance long-delayed development • Healthcare, utilities among projects in Grand Bahama, warning that continued key island concerns uncertainty is undermining By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
confidence and economic prospects on the island. In a statement issued yesterday, Mr Pintard said residents continue to face rising living costs, strained public services and a lack of clarity around major infrastructure commit‑ ments, despite repeated government assurances. He said one of the most significant outstanding issues remains the rede‑ velopment of the Grand Bahama International Airport. “The government prom‑ ised progress on the Grand Bahama International Airport, including the
completion of key phases by 2025. At the start of 2026, not one shovel is in the ground. There’s no clear public accounting of the project’s design, cost, location, or management structure,” Mr Pintard said. Mr Pintard also criti‑ cised the government’s handling of the Grand Lucayan resort redevel‑ opment, arguing that key details have yet to be shared publicly. “This year, the govern‑ ment threw a rally for a Grand Lucayan deal that
none of us still have any details on,” he said. “They staged a demoli‑ tion, but couldn’t find the time to reveal timelines, obligations, or how this project fits into a broader tourism and economic strategy for the island.” He said the Free National Movement believes greater transpar‑ ency is needed around major agreements to ensure residents under‑ stand how such projects will benefit the wider econ‑ omy and workforce.
A GAS station operator is starting the new year with an initiative aimed at high‑ lighting small entrepreneurs through a weekly showcase hosted at his business. Peter Roker, proprietor of Roker’s Gas Station, said the initiative is intended to encourage entrepreneur‑ ship and create growth opportunities for small businesses by giving them a free platform to display their products and services. The event, due to start on January 17, will take place
every Saturday under a tent next to the service station, located at Sir Milo Butler Highway and Faith Avenue. Participation is free of charge, and interested busi‑ ness owners are currently being invited to apply. “Well, essentially, what I would like to achieve is, every Saturday at my gas station, Roker's Gas Station on Sir Milo Butler Highway and Faith Avenue, would be to spotlight an entre‑ preneur, someone who's already doing something that may need encourage‑ ment,” Mr Roker said.
SHOWCASE - See Page B2
Grand Bahama taxi, tour operators see uptick after slow start at Celebration Key By ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net BUSINESS activity is showing signs of improve‑ ment for taxi drivers and tour operators in Grand Bahama following an ini‑ tially slow period after the opening of Carnival Cruise Line’s Celebration Key. Industry representatives say while some businesses struggled in the early months as cruise passen‑ gers largely remained at the port, increasing ship traffic and greater coordination are beginning to translate into more movement into the wider community.
Grand Bahama Cham‑ ber of Commerce president Dillon Knowles said the completion of an additional dock at Celebration Key later this year is expected to significantly increase pas‑ senger volumes. “So, by the end of this year, they should be having four ships a day instead of two ships a day enter‑ ing Celebration Key. And they're suggesting that, that should bring about six mil‑ lion passengers a year,” he said. Mr Knowles acknowl‑ edged that many business owners remain cautious about the long-term impact
OPERATORS - See Page B3
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‘Wait and see’ situation over oil prices after US Venezuelan action, warns BPRA • US remains Bahamas’ primary oil supplier • Futures contracts help buffer short-term shocks • Regional markets may feel effects sooner
MICHAEL PINTARD Looking ahead, Mr Pin‑ tard outlined the FNM’s plans to support Grand Bahama’s economic recovery through a mix of large-scale redevelopment and targeted commu‑ nity investment. He said the party intends to con‑ tinue efforts to secure suitable partners for the Grand Lucayan and the airport, while also work‑ ing with entrepreneurs to revive the island’s marina
DELAYS - See Page B2
Gas station operator launches weekly small business showcase By ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net
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By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net VASCO Bastian, vice‑president of the Baha‑ mas Petroleum Retailers Association (BPRA), said the recent US actions in Venezuela have the poten‑ tial to affect the global oil market, but the precise impact—particularly for the Bahamas—is not expected to be immediate. Speaking to Tribune Business, Mr Bastian described the situation as “wait-and-see,” noting that markets could rally with access to new oil supplies or react poorly.
“The market is definitely going to react, I guess favourably, because there’s the potential—there is more oil to be had. Yeah, so it’s kind of a wait-and-see market. You could tell a lot more tomorrow, when the price of crude oil is posted. Whether it’s going to go up or down, the reaction will not be immediate, but it will come in the very, very near future,” said Mr Bastian Mr Bastian said regional countries in the Lesser Antilles, such as Barbados and Tobago, could feel the effects of changes in Ven‑ ezuelan oil supply more directly due to their closer
VENEZUELA - See Page B2