BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
THE Davis administration’s ambition of forcing a rapid ownership change at the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) suffered a setback - but has not been ended - by the ruling that dismissed its $357m payment demand.
The long-awaited decision in the Government’s two-year arbitration claim against Freeport’s quasi-governmental authority, which was released in full yesterday, rejected its reimbursement bid on the basis it was brought under a Hawksbill Creek Agreement clause that had been superseded, and replaced, by a section in the 1994 agreement that the
owner
bid suffers setback
then-Ingraham administration struck with the GBPA. That section, described as paragraph three, required the GBPA to pay the Government $500,000 every year “for the purpose of defraying the administrative expenses incurred by the Government in the Port area” for a period of five years between 1996 and 2000. But, while the two sides’ commitments obligated them to jointly “review” this obligation and the sum to be paid in future years, no agreement was reached and payment lapsed.
But, while its $357m demand for reimbursement of expenses incurred over and above tax revenues generated by Freeport between 2018 and 2022 was rejected, the
Wrong Hawksbill clause derails payment demand
But Gov’t given alternative path to reimbursement
Both sides claim win, but neither fully successful
three-strong arbitration panel - featuring a former Cayman Islands chief justice and two UK law lords - nevertheless set out an alternative path by which the Government can secure outstanding payments determined to be due and owing by the GBPA.
Besides finding that paragraph four’s “review mechanism” remains operational and enforceable, and has not been eroded by inactivity, the arbitrators’ decision also left the door open to the Government seeking retroactive reimbursement from the GBPA going back more than two decades’ to at least 2001-2002. This, in effect, could pave the way for the Government to renew its demand that Freeport’s quasi-governmental
authority pay it a nine-figure, multi-million dollar sum. The immediate impact from the 139-page “partial decision” rendered by Sir Anthony Smellie KC, the arbitration panel’s chairman, and Lord Neuberger and Dame Elizabeth Gloster, is to send both parties back to the negotiating table to first develop the “review mechanism” - including its governance framework and
BY NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor
THE Attorney General yesterday hailed the rejection of the Grand Bahama Port Authority’s (GBPA) $1bn damages claim against the Government while accusing it of trying to enrich itself at the expense of Bahamian taxpayers.
Ryan Pinder KC, speaking after arbitrators rejected seven of the eight counter-claims launched against the Government by Freeport’s quasi-governmental authority, asserted that the move “would have had significant fiscal implications for the country” had it succeeded and asserted that the verdict represents “good news for all Bahamian taxpayers”.
The Government’s top legal adviser, who was joined by Ginger Moxey and Dr Michael Darville, current and former Grand Bahama ministers, told a media briefing at the Prime Minister’s Office that the arbitrators’ decision will also benefit taxpayers moving forward because
Freeport residents question if anything will change
Freeport residents question if anything will change
it affirmed that the GBPA owes an annual “liability” to pay money to the Public Treasury for the Hawksbill Creek Agreement’s remaining 28-year term (see other article on Page 1B).
This is stipulated by the “review mechanism” contained in the 1994 deal between the GBPA and then-Ingraham administration, which Mr Pinder yesterday said “remains operational, and its provisions enforceable, notwithstanding it has not been enforced for many years”.
The arbitrators, in their ruling, found: “The tribunal considers that it is self-evident that the Government can invoke the
AG: GBPA arbitration verdict solves Port utilities regulation
BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor
nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
THE Attorney General yesterday asserted that findings in the $357m Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) arbitration dispute could result in the “dismissal” of Supreme Court challenges to the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority’s (URCA ) authority to supervise utilities in Freeport.
Ryan Pinder KC suggested that Grand Bahama Power Company’s battle over URCA’s ability to regulate it, and whether the Electricity Act 2024 supersedes and overrides the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, has effectively been decided after the threestrong GBPA arbitration panel found “the Government’s right to legislate” is superior to Freeport’s founding treaty. The tribunal, chaired by Sir Anthony Smellie KC,
review for future years because it is inherent in the GBPA’s argument, and in the tribunal’s conclusion, that paragraph three has replaced clause 1(5) (d). That paragraph three, and therefore the review, remains fully enforceable.
In any event, there is no basis for contending that the review is inoperable simply because it has been allowed to lie dormant by the Government.”
While any sums due and owing by the GBPA to the Government now have to be determined by the two parties via negotiation or, if talks fail, arbitration, Mr PInder asserted that - in rejecting the quasi-governmental authority’s counter-claim
former chief justice of the Cayman Islands, and Lord Neuberger and Dame Elizabeth Gloster, two UK law lords, rejected the GBPA’s bid for “a declaration that it was the sole regulator of the construction and operation of electricity and other utilities in the Port area”.
- the three-strong arbitration panel of Sir Anthony Smellie KC, its chairman, and Lord Neuberger and Dame Elizabeth Gloster, had also ruled that the GBPA does not have “the exclusive right” to govern the 230 square mile Port area and that its claims of government interference are misconceived.
“The Government has a right to legislate, regulate and participate in governance,” the Attorney General said. “This is an historic event with the interpretation of Freeport, the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, and the relationship between the GBPA and the Government dating back more than 70 years. This is an historic result. In any event, we are glad that there is a definitive basis for the inter-relationship between the Government and GBPA as far as the management and governance of Freeport.”
Mr Pinder based his assessment of “an historic” outcome - one repeated by his Cabinet and ministerial
BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
THE Grand Bahama Port Authority’s (GBPA) assertion that the Government’s “misguided policies” resulted in it “deliberately frustrating” more than $10bn worth of investment for Freeport has been rejected by arbitrators.
The three-strong panel, headed by a former Cayman Islands chief justice and two UK law lords, found there were “understandable concerns” over the financing sources for the joint investment by Weller Development and Pegasus in the Six Senses hotel project amid accusations by the GBPA that the Government deliberately stalled providing the necessary approvals in a bid to force its owners, the Hayward and St George families, to sell their interests.
“diverted, discouraged and/ or frustrated investment” from Freeport cannot be sustained.
“The principal project relied on in this connection was Weller/Pegasus, an ambitious project which was characterised by the promoters as promising upwards of $10bn of investments into the Port area, “ the arbitrators found in a ruling that was released yesterday.
“We are of the view that the Government’s right to legislate overrides the GBPA’s rights under clause 2(21), and therefore the enactment and implementation within the Port Area of the Electricity Act 2015 and the Electricity Act 2024 did not amount to a breach of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement by the Government,” the arbitrators ruled.
Mr Pinder yesterday hailed the decision as effectively settling the ongoing Supreme Court battle over whether URCA has
“However, the Tribunal held that the Government has a right to introduce legislation to apply to the construction, operation and regulation of utilities in the Port area,” Mr Pinder added. In particular, the arbitrators noted that the Hawksbill Creek Agreement provides for its provisions to be overridden by statute law passed by the Bahamas’ Parliament.
GB Chamber chief says arbitration changes little
BY NEIL HARTNELL
THE Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce’s president yesterday said the ruling over the Grand Bahama Port Authority’s (GBPA) $357m arbitration dispute changes little in Freeport and highlights the urgent need to “revisit and modernise” the city’s governance and regulatory framework. Dillon Knowles, in a statement, said the outcome meant “both parties were unsuccessful in their respective claims” with the Government unable to enforce its $357m reimbursement demand against Freeport’s quasi-governmental authority which itself saw seven of its eight counter-claims against
the Davis administration rejected.
“Under the revised provision, GBPA is required to pay the Government an annual stipend of $500,000 for the provision of public services. The parties were directed to review and continue to give effect to that clause,” he said. “The tribunal further noted that GBPA had acquiesced to the Government’s earlier breaches and emphasised
that, as a sovereign authority, the Government retains the power to amend legislation.
“The overall impact on Freeport is that the parties effectively return to the status quo ante. GBPA remains obligated to pay only the annual stipend, and the Government continues to exercise final regulatory authority over
The panel’s decision revealed that, while the Government was opposed to the Weller/Pegasus group buying an ownership interest in the GBPA while the two families remained in control of Freeport’s quasi-governmental authority and its Port Group Ltd affiliate, it did not act “inappropriately” in relation to this project and the allegation that it
“The GBPA accuses the Government of deliberate frustration of this project in order to force the GBPA shareholders to divest of their interests in GBPA and its parent, IDC, to government itself or else to others, most proximately the Weller/Pegasus conglomerate.” IDC is Intercontinental Diversified Corporation (IDC), the ultimate Cayman-based parent for the GBPA, Port Group Ltd and all of Freeport’s major economic and infrastructure assets. “The contemporaneous evidence does reveal that the Government was against Weller/Pegasus buying into IDC while the existing shareholders, the St George and Hayward families, remained in control. This opposition was largely based on misgivings
RYAN PINDER KC
GRAND
BTC upgrades 35 mobile sites in Nassau and GB
THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) says it has upgraded 35 mobile network sites across New Providence and Grand Bahama by increasing capacity and data speeds to enhance customer experience.
The carrier, in a statement, said the upgrades are part of BTC’s ongoing investment in its LTE (longterm evolution) mobile network. It added that subscribers in New Providence and Grand Bahama can expect stronger coverage in more areas, better call quality and improved
performance during busy periods. “We are committed to continually enhancing our customers’ mobile experience,” said Drexel Woods, BTC’s director of technical operations. “With the upgrade of 35 mobile sites across New Providence and Grand Bahama, we’ve significantly expanded our mobile network capacity, delivering stronger coverage, faster data speeds and more consistent performance even during the busiest hours. “These enhancements reflect our ongoing
investment in a resilient, future-ready network that supports how our customers live, work and stay connected every day.”
The upgraded mobile sites include Sea Breeze, Malcolm Park, Pinewood Gardens, Gambier Village, Albany, Clifton Heritage, Marathon Road, Carmichael and South Beach, Coral Harbour, Prospect Ridge, Venice Bay, Nassau Village, Blue Hill Road, Fox Hill, Perpall Tract, Delaporte, Lynden Pindling International Airport, Coral Reef Estates, Poinciana, Thomas A.
‘Port families can gloat but they’re not off hook’
how it actually functionsthen work out the annual amount the GBPA should pay the Government.
While they may agree on the formula and sums to apply from 2023 moving forward, which would cover the final 30 years’ of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement’s lifespan, it appears likely that the Government and GBPA will again find themselves at odds over any retroactive sums due to the former to cover Freeport-related expenditure that has exceeded tax revenues.
Ryan Pinder KC, the attorney general, yesterday made clear that the Government intends to pursue retroactive reimbursement from the GBPA for the past 20-plus years. “The application of the review provision in relation to costs incurred by the Government in past years… pre-demand, our demand was in 2023, that’s still a live issue,” he told a media briefing at the Prime Minister’s Office.
“So historical costs due to the Government is still a live issue. The Tribunal stated that it would be ‘able and prepared’ to determine what is owed historically if asked to do so by the parties. The Government will request the tribunal to do so.” And he later reaffirmed:
“Recovery for earlier years remains subject to further determination and directions from the Tribunal, which the Tribunal has indicated that it is ready and willing to undertake as soon as possible. We will ask them to do so.”
Mr Pinder argued that the 1994 agreement’s paragraph three “is almost identical in scope to what we could expect” under the
Hawksbill Creek Agreement clause used to bring the claim, implying that it could result in the GBPA owing a similar sum to the original $357m demand.
“My opinion is that the full amount of our claim still stands,” he said. “We look forward to a review with the GBPA of the parameters of what they owe the taxpayers of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas”.
This is unlikely to be desired by the GBPA. The arbitrators said they were “reluctantly persuaded” by Freeport’s quasi-governmental authority not to address in their initial ruling questions over whether the “review mechanism” can be applied retroactively and “how far back the Government can go”.
“However, if both the parties would like the tribunal to resolve this issue, given that this is a partial award, the tribunal would be able and prepared to take that course and would anticipate giving directions to enable the issue to be resolved as quickly as is practical and consistent with justice,” the arbitrators said. However, there were indications that the GBPA would prefer to put such an issue before the judicial court system rather than arbitration again, signalling that a ‘retroactivity’ battle looms.
Both the Government and GBPA yesterday moved rapidly to set the public relations narrative by highlighting, and talking up, the aspects of the verdict most favourable to them but the ruling shows that neither side was completely successful with their case and claims.
Mr Pinder, and his fellow Cabinet ministers, Ginger Moxey and Dr Michael Darville, current and
past ministers for Grand Bahama, focused on the “review mechanism” remaining operational and enforceable, and the fact the arbitrators had determined this establishes an annual liability the GBPA owes the Government if the latter’s Freeport expenditure exceeds revenue in any given year.
The Attorney General pledged that the Government would “give a good faith effort to come to the table” and negotiate a settlement of the review mechanism and all outstanding issues, but quickly warned that if the GPBA is “not willing to come to the table or be rationale in their approach” it will quickly invoke fresh arbitration proceedings.
However, Mr Pinder did not address or mention that the Government had failed in its key objective in launching the arbitration proceedings. This was to obtain sufficient leverage to force the GBPA’s two owners, the Hayward and St George families, to exit by winning a verdict that Freeport’s quasi-governmental authority owed $357m or some other significant sum that it could not pay.
This would have either forced the families to sell or, if they proved reluctant, the Government would likely have petitioned the Supreme Court to appoint a receiver to take control of the Port Group of Companies and sell them off to a buyer. However, the immediate threat of this happening has been lessened by the arbitrators’ rejection of the $357m demand, although the danger has not been eliminated.
“Given that clause 1(5) (d) has been replaced by paragraph three with effect
Robinson National Stadium, Pelican Point and Bay Street.
BTC said the upgrades are part of BTC’s longterm strategy to strengthen its mobile network across The Bahamas through continuous investment in technology and infrastructure. This includes improved resilience to support connectivity during major events and in times of need.
The carrier also confirmed that network upgrades are coming soon to the Family Islands, with 14 mobile sites scheduled for improvememts in
from the date of the 1994 agreement, it must follow that the Government is not entitled to claim any payments under clause 1(5)(d),” the three-strong arbitration panel ruled. “It therefore follows that the Government is not entitled to any sum in respect of administrative expense for any of the years 2018 to 2022, at least unless and until a sum in respect of those years is assessed pursuant to the review” mechanism.
Prime Minister Philip Davis KC has made no secret of his desire to overturn Freeport’s “status quo” by securing the removal of the Hayward and St George families as the GBPA’s owners, reaffirming these ambitions recently by branding Freeport a “corporatocracy” that has been managed and administered to favour the private interests of a few rather than the Bahamian people. While this goal may now be delayed, it has not been abandoned.
“The Port Authority and the families can gloat and say they don’t have to write a cheque for $357m,” one prominent Freeport source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Tribune Business yesterday, “but it doesn’t let them off the hook. I think they are going to get an ultimatum, and hopefully they understand they had better cut a deal, take some money and go. They have no chance to stay, but nothing’s going to happen between now and the election.”
Another, voicing doubts over whether the working relationship between the Government and GBPA will improve as a result of the arbitration outcome, said: “The main thing is they want the families gone. If the Haywards and St Georges find new Bahamian partners that would be the best case scenario. I think they’ve got the message. They just need to find an off-ramp that works for everyone.”
DREXEL WOODS
the months ahead. These upgrades are designed to extend the benefits of increased capacity and improved performance to even more communities throughout The Bahamas.
“Our vision is to ensure that every BTC customer, whether in New Providence or on the Family Islands, can rely on a strong and
The GBPA, meanwhile, focused on the $357m payment demand’s dismissal and the success of one of their seven counter-claims - that the Government breached the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, Freeport’s founding treaty, by failing to promulgate and enact four environmental bye-laws submitted by the GBPA - a failure that spanned four administrations and 20 years from 2026. The arbitrators are now awaitng submissions from both sides on what, if any, damages should be paid by the Government to the GBPA. Mr Pinder, though, scoffed at this yesterday, saying: “I know today the GBPA said they are going to pursue damages. The Tribunal said there’s a question as to whether any damages are due. I would put it to you that these damages are nominal if any.”
The GBPA yesterday hailed the verdict as a “landmark arbitration victory” for itself, its 3,500-plus business licensees and the people of Grand Bahama because the $357m payment demand - the core basis for bringing the claim - had been “dismissed in full”. It added: “The arbitration tribunal fully rejected the Government’s argument that it was owed hundreds of millions of dollars by GBPA under Clause 1(5)d, in a decision that provides much-needed clarity and confidence in the future of Freeport following the prolonged shadow of uncertainty cast by this sweeping claim.
“In addition, the tribunal upheld the GBPA’s counterclaim in respect of the Government’s sustained failure to approve environmental bye-laws proposed by GBPA, which were intended to strengthen health, safety, sanitation and environmental governance within the Port Area. The Government was declared in breach of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement for this failure, and the tribunal
consistent connection,” added Mr Woods. “We are investing for the long-term so our customers can enjoy a better mobile experience today with a network that’s ready for tomorrow.” The mobile network improvement project started in November 2025, and the final upgrades to the sites were completed in January. Besides its mobile network upgrades, the carrier is also continuing its roll-out of BTC Air in the Family Islands, bringing enhanced next generation fixed wireless access to Eleuthera, South Andros, Long Island and Cat Island in the coming months. BTC Air was launched in Bimini last year, where all customers have been upgraded. BTC Air delivers broadband, television and landline services.
directed the parties to make submissions on a damages award to the GBPA arising from those breaches.”
The GBPA, though, made no mention that its seven other counter-claims were all rejected by the arbitrators. It added that the decision will “stabilise” Freeport’s business and invetsment climate, and provide renewed confidence to businesses and investors, as it also called for renewed “collaboration” with the Government.
“This is more than a legal victory,” the GBPA trumpeted. “It is a stabilising moment for Freeport. We trust the ruling will give licensees, investors, stakeholders and Grand Bahama residents renewed assurance and optimism for the future.
“We have advised the Government repeatedly since June 2016 that this claim was wrong and would fail. It was not a good use of time or public resources. We have always maintained that benefit for Grand Bahama would best be obtained by GBPA and government working together.
“Genuine collaboration between the Port Authority and the Government aimed at ensuring that both parties meet their moral and legal obligations for the benefit of all stakeholders and the people of Grand Bahama is essential,” the GBPA reiterated.
“With this claim substantially behind us, we see this as an opportunity to reset Grand Bahama’s future through a renewed partnership, a modernised regulatory framework and greater empowerment of local stakeholders.
“GBPA didn’t ask for this fight; we were forced to defend ourselves and stand up for the rights of our licensees and stakeholders. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the tribunal for their extensive work and for producing a fair and just decision.”
colleagues - on the arbitrators’ rejection of the GBPA’s counter-claim that there had been “multiple breaches on the part of the Government of their duties owed to the GBPA” under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement’s terms. He described its dismissed allegations as “very substantial” not just for Freeport’s governance but that of the wider Bahamas given that Freeport’s quasi-governmental authority had, in effect, asserted it had the exclusive right and authority to oversee business licensing, Immigration, Customs, utilities and property sales/land development without any involvement from the Government.
“The GPBA’s counterclaim against the Government was for
substantial damages for wrongfully interfering in the administration of Freeport. This is a complaint which the GBPA has made repeatedly against the Government for many years, and one which the Government has always rejected. The GBPA now brought its complaints by way of a counterclaim in the arbitration, in which it originally claimed a sum of $1bn$1bn- in damages against the Government. That was the GBPA claim.” Mr Pinder said.
“GBPA’s case that it has the sole right to administer Freeport and to deal with licensing, Immigration matters, Customs matters, utilities and utilities regulation, land purchases, development/environmental approvals, all of this was claimed by the GBPA as their exclusive right in Freeport. Every one of them was rejected by the tribunal.
“The tribunal also rejected a complaint by the GBPA that the Government had wrongfully diverted investment projects from Freeport to other areas of Grand Bahama. That was a claim within the arbitration proceedings.
Again, a claim by the GBPA that was rejected. The tribunal expressly held that the Government’s caution about the Weller/Pegasus development ‘cannot be criticised’, meaning that the Government had a rightand was well-grounded - in its approach to use caution about the project, and that the Government was entitled to prefer investment projects for other areas of Grand Bahama outside Freeport.”
Mrs Moxey hailed the arbitration verdict as confirming that “the Government has a binding say in the administration, management and regulation of the city of Freeport. Administration of the Port area is not fully vested in the GBPA. This is the first time that any administration has challenged the GBPA in this manner for the benefit of Grand Bahama”.
However, several Freeport private sector contacts yesterday told Tribune Business that - for all the talk of an historical decision - it appeared that the arbitration verdict has largely maintained the status quo in the city especially since areas such as Customs and Immigration are still controlled by the relevant government agencies. Foreign business and investor licensing approvals also still go through Nassau, leading
some to argue that nothing has changed and that the verdict has brought little clarity and certainty to Freeport’s governance and administration long-term.
“All these things are in place already and have been for a long time,” one businessman said of the areas cited by Mr Pinder. “It’s nothing new.” Another added that the ruling, despite rejecting the Government’s $357m payment demand, had given it “a pathway to actually collect” from the GBPA, with Prime Minister Philip Davis KC last night signalling the Government intends to make a renewed claim for possibly more than that initial sum.
However, one Freeport contact added: “The ruling doesn’t actually do anything for the people of Freeport. It’s like a pyrrhic victory for the Port Authority and a slap in the face for the Government, but is anything going to really change? Nothing is going to happen. Nobody benefits from this. Nothing changes.”
Mr Pinder, though, described as “a big one” the upholding of the legal requirement - set out in the International Persons Landholding Act - mandating that all foreign real estate buyers register their Bahamian property and land purchases with the
Investments Board. The GBPA had sought a declaration that this did not apply in Freeport, but the arbitrators rejected this.
“Now, this even broadens the scope of the Government’s authority in Freeport,” the Attorney General argued. “The Planning and Subdivision Act is now clearly applicable to Freeport. This is much broader and the Government has legislative authority to regulate land development in Freeport.”
Similarly, he added that the decision also upheld that the Environmental Planning and Protection Act applies in Freeport and can be enforced by the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP).
“The partial award affirms that administration of the Port Area is not exclusively vested in the GBPA. At most, at most, the GBPA retains specific contractual and administrative responsibilities. But these operate alongside – and subject to – the Government’s continuing powers and the cession of approval of licensing, Immigration, Customs and other matters to the Government, as agreed by the GBPA as long ago as 1968, and that will remain the case for the remainder of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement.
“The clarity in law has been given that the Government has regulatory and legislative authority over actions in the Port area… The Government’s focus will therefore be on progressing the outstanding issues to secure payment from the GBPA for the benefit of the taxpayer. The arbitration tribunal has brought clarity to long-standing disagreements between the Government and GBPA on the governance of Freeport, and it is hoped that any outstanding issues can be resolved between the parties in a sensible way. If not, we go back to arbitration.”
Mr Davis was conspicuous by his absence from yesterday’s media briefing, instead opting to give a national address. Mr Pinder said: “The importance of these findings in favour of the Government cannot be understated. The GBPA’s attempt to exclude the Government from any involvement in the administration of Freeport would have a significant governance impact on Freeport, and its attempt to secure huge amounts of taxpayer money for itself - over $1bn in their claim - by way of damages on this basis would have had significant fiscal implications for the country.
$3m derelict property now technology-led laundromat
BY FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
A $3M investment in a former derelict property has given birth to a technology-driven laundromat that its owners say is setting a higher standard for such services in The Bahamas.
Eco-Wash Laundromat, located on Tonique Williams Highway, will officially open this week and has positioned itself as a modern, cashless facility built around efficiency, sanitisation and community engagement.
Montino Roberts, chairman and president of Eco-Wash, said the investment has already exceeded initial projections. “The investment is rather simple. It’s $3m and growing because there’s more technology that we want to put into this facility so that we can cater to more of the demographic,” he added. “I’ve gone on record to say that we did seek a loan from the bank as well. Royal Bank is our partner, and we hope to have them here on Friday for the grand opening.”
Mr Roberts said the investment is transforming a long-abandoned
structure into one of the most technologically-advanced laundromats in The Bahamas. He added that a key feature of the business model is its fully cashless laundry system, designed to streamline transactions and reduce on-site cash handling. Customers can pay digitally while also benefiting from high-capacity washers and dryers aimed at cutting down the time typically spent completing multiple loads.
Mr Roberts said community response has been encouraging even before the ribbon was cut. “I’ll be the first to say I was shocked to see the response
Rosewood Exuma developer blasts opponents for stalling
BY ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business Reporter
ATTORNEYS for the
$200m Rosewood Exuma project yesterday accused its opponents of employing stalling tactics to delay Supreme Court proceedings and block its Miami-based developer from moving forward with the East Sampson Cay development. Robert Adams KC, attorney for Yntegra Group, told Justice Leif Farquharson during the Judicial Review proceedings that the applications by Turtlegrass Resort & Island Club and Over Yonder cay’s developer for specific discovery are desperate ploys used to delay the hearing of their substantive claims.
He argued that the discovery applications are fishing expeditions that the two rival developers are using to buy time to unearth information in the hope something will be revealed to enable them to advance arguments that they have not made. Mr Adams also noted that the discovery requests are seeking documents that are “unnecessary’” for the fair determination or disposal of the issues raised by the Judicial Review. “This court’s determination of what is ‘necessary’ must be informed by what Turtlegrass has pleaded,” he said. Mr Adams said attorneys for Turtlegrass had sought to postpone or prolong matters as Fred Smith KC, the Callenders & Co
attorney and partner, and its legal representative, had told the court he has a Privy Council appeal scheduled for the first week of May and “other appearances” in April prohibiting him from dealing with the case.
Mr Smith’s comments came after Justice Farquharson’s announcement that he had flexible availability in April to move forward with the hearings. Mr Adams accused Mr Smith of playing games, while Mr Smith asserted that it was “disrespectful” to suggest that he was, adding that Mr Adams “should withdraw those comments”.
As for relocating Rosewood Exuma’s service dock, UK-based Edward Fitzgerald KC defended
from the neighbouring community. Even during the construction phase we had clients coming in with their clothing while we were still building out the space, and that hasn’t stopped,” he added.
“They’ve continued to come and are beginning to patronise us. We’re working on a loyalty programme so that we can give back to them, as well as to the wider community.” Eco-Wash is also marketing itself heavily on hygiene and environmental efficiency. The facility incorporates ozone-ready sanitisation technology that injects O3 into cold-water
washes, eliminating up to 99 percent of germs and bacteria without relying on hot water.
Mr Roberts said this approach reduces energy consumption, extends fabric life and improves overall wash quality. “We’re offering a very professional, personalised atmosphere with the latest technology and equipment. Sanitisation is a major focus for us. Disinfecting and eliminating germs on every wash, free of charge, was something we really wanted to put out there. We’re pushing a really nice, inviting, friendly environment and the transformation is almost unrecognisable,” he added.
The concept, Mr Roberts said, emerged three years ago when the owners identified a gap in the Bahamian market for a cleaner, more modern laundry experience.
“Why Eco Wash, and why now? I’ll go back a little. Three years ago, I knew
absolutely nothing about laundry other than using it. We were passing this facility — it was a derelict location — and we stopped in, had a conversation and decided we wanted to resurrect it as Eco Wash. We wanted to offer the Bahamian public something different, something more modern. And here we are today,” he said. While management is focused on stabilising operations at the Tonique Williams Highway location, expansion is already under consideration. “As it stands now, we hope to expand,” said Mr Roberts “We’re already looking at another location, but we have to get this one off the ground first. We’ve gone through all the planning, consultancy and design. Today, we’re moving into operations. This is another phase of learning, and our key focus right now is delivering excellent service to the Bahamian public.”
Dr Rhianna Neely-Murphy, Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP) director, noting that she was compliant and there was no need for further disclosure as requested by their opponents. Mr Adams said
that, in relation to geotechnical investigative studies, Dr Neely-Murphy did not consider it necessary for environmental assessments o be done which falls “squarely within her powers”.
Minister: Resilience will define nation’s economy
By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter
jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
A CABINET minister yesterday said resilience will define The Bahamas’ next phase of economic growth as geopolitical shifts and global conflicts create a more volatile international landscape.
Michael Halkitis, minister of ecnomic affairs, speaking at the Global Summit Central Bank Series, said the global economy has entered a period of rapid transformation driven by conflict, climate change and digital disruption. He warned that resilience must now become a permanent feature of national policy.
“It goes without saying that the global economy has entered a period of rapid transformation driven by digital innovation, climate pressures, geopolitical shifts, regional and global conflicts and evolving financial systems,” said Mr Halkitis.
“The challenges that face us include rapid policy change, and so the importance of resilience becomes even more clear. We must continue to pursue fiscal discipline and improve our fiscal health. We must pursue food security and energy security. These issues are not temporary concerns, but a lasting feature of our outlook.”
Mr Halkitis said The Bahamas is navigating this period of uncertainty from a position of strength, pointing to record tourism performance and sustained foreign investment flows.
“After navigating the unprecedented shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic,
which was preceded by one of the worst storms in world history, our economy has rebounded with remarkable strength,” he added.
Mr Halkitis noted that international arrivals surpassed 12m visitors last year - the strongest performance ever recorded - strengthening not only tourism but also construction, transportation, retail and small business activity across the islands.
“What makes this period particularly significant is the breadth of investment activity across sectors. Tourism development remains strong, but it is not the sole driver of growth,” said Mr Halkitis.
“At the same time, largescale infrastructure projects - including airport upgrades, port developments, roads and water systems - are modernising the foundation
upon which private investment depends.”
He said growth momentum has been supported by expanding construction activity, improving labour market conditions, moderating inflation and prudent fiscal management.
“International markets have taken note of this progress, and credit rating agencies — recognising our fiscal discipline, economic recovery and structural reforms — have improved their outlook on The Bahamas,” said Mr Halkitis.
“Positive assessments from major credit rating agencies such as Moody’s, Fitch and S&P underscore growing international confidence in the country’s current performance, as well as our future trajectory. Our successful return to international capital markets, supported by strong
Mr Smith requested disclosure of dock location documents from Dr Neely-Murpy on environmental considerations, or confirmation from her in an affidavit that she did not consider environmental considerations.
investor demand, further underscores our improved strength.”
Mr Halkitis said investment activity is also broadening beyond tourism into renewable energy, maritime services, digital infrastructure, agriculture, logistics and the blue and green economies, alongside large-scale infrastructure upgrades to airports, ports, roads and water systems.
While acknowledging The Bahamas’ recovery, he stressed that the Government cannot afford complacency. “While we acknowledge our strength and our recovery, we recognise that there is much more work to be done,” said Mr Halkitis.
“We live in a totally different environment. The environment continues to change, but as is the Bahamian way, we will seek to turn these challenges into opportunity for the benefit of our people.”
ROSEWOOD EXUMA ON SAMPSON CAY
MICHAEL HALKITIS
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that I WILZOR ANTOINE of Golden Gates #1, New Providence, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 4th day of March, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that I JEANLUKENS DOUTILIEN of Acklins Street, Nassau, The Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 4th day of March, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that VENISE AUGUSTIN of Minnie Street, Nassau, The Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 4th day of March, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that GODWIN AKPADIAHA EDOHO of #2 Springfield Way, P.O. Box EE-15128, Nassau, The Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 25th day of February, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
Springfield Way, P.O. Box EE-15128, Nassau, The Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 25th day of February, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
about the viability of the GBPA itself,” the arbitrators added.
Sir Anthony Smellie KC, the arbitration panel’s chairman, and Lord Neuberger and Dame Elizabeth Gloster, noted that under the late Edward St George and Sir Jack Hayward, the GBPA had spun-off all key assets - such as its interests in Freeport Harbour Company and Grand Bahama Development Company (DevCO) - into Port Group Ltd.
The Hawksbill Creek Review Committee’s 2015 report “concluded that, as a result of the divestments, the GBPA lost the capital base necessary to pursue the development objectives outlined in the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. Having sold off its core assets, the GBPA lacked the means to drive Freeport’s growth.
“As the Report recorded: ‘The intent of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement was such that GBPA would be an entity able to carry out all municipal and regulatory functions in Freeport. Meeting that expectation requires capital. Given that GBPA has sold all of its assets, it no longer has the capital to do so. Moreover, GBPA itself stated that the revenues earned by GBPA today fall short of what is needed for basic maintenance in light of outstanding receivables’.”
The arbitrators concluded: “Thus, the GBPA had admittedly become at
least balance sheet insolvent, a state in which it has apparently remained ever since. There were, moreover, other understandable concerns on the part of Government about the source of financing for the Pegasus/Weller project itself.
“In that connection, there was extensive exchange of correspondence between the Attorney General and Michael Holtzman, a senior executive of Pegasus, in which the latter disclosed that the source of funds was proposed to be the Green Climate Fund. While the GBPA insists that this was a conclusive response, it appears that from the Government’s point of view there was never an acceptable answer to its concerns in this regard.”
Other evidence revealed that the Weller/Pegasus project had “earlier obtained government approval without delay, and land had been acquired for the project which was either soon to be or was already under construction
“Accordingly, while relations between the parties deteriorated, this did not result in the Government acting inappropriately in its dealings with the Pegasus/ Weller project. Rather, once one affords the Government its proper margin of appreciation as custodian of the public interest, its concern to ensure that the GBPA acquired, as the Prime Minister put it, ‘a fundamental change of direction, leadership and strategy’ in order to
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that I KATIA LOWE BELONY of P.O. Box N 356, #35 Union Village, New Providence, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 4th day of March, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that PETER FLUERIMON of Carmichael Road, Firetrail Road, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 25th day of February, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that LEEYA SHANIQUE DESIR of Johnson Road, Nassau, The Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 25th day of February, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that PETERSON LAMOUR of Carmichael Road, Nassau, The Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 25th day of February, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
take Freeport - and hence Grand Bahama as a whole - forward, and its resulting caution about the Weller/ Pegasus project, cannot be criticised.”
Other investments cited by the GBPA to bolster its case were the Tractebel liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal; Ginn’s planned Barbary Beach resort project in a joint venture with DevCo before it relocated to Grand Bahama’s West End; and the Bluewater project for a resort at the Port Lucaya Marina.
“Evidence was given by a number of witnesses, particularly Ms [Willie] Moss, Ms [Sarah] St George and Mr [Rupert] Hayward at the hearing about these projects and the reasons why they failed, or in the case of others such as the Carnival Port project, were unreasonably delayed,” the arbitrators wrote.
“Their evidence was based on their own views, bolstered in some instances by correspondence and supported by the views of others, of the Government’s ‘misguided policies’ and ‘failings of administration’, which were said to have resulted in the erosion of the foundational value proposition of Freeport as a special economic zone for attracting foreign direct investment, and dismantling the earlier successes and ease of doing business created by the GBPA acting as a ‘one stop shop’ under the auspices of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement.”
The Government, though, said the GBPA had failed to define its claim and provide details. It added that the Ginn project referred to events that occurred 23 years ago and, as far as Weller/Pegasus went, it said:
“This project, too, is now over, and it is hard to see what useful purpose would be served by making a declaration in the terms sought in relation to this project.”
As for Tractebel and the other projects cited, the arbitrators ruled that “again, once one affords the Government its due margin of appreciation as custodian of the wider public interest, the Tribunal concludes that the Government’s contractual duties owed to GBPA under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement did not, in all the circumstances, preclude the former’s ability to prefer investment projects for other areas of Grand Bahama outside Freeport”. They added: “In the case of Tractabel/Enron, environmental protection concerns were raised by the BEST Commission in relation to the development of the Port area, and in the case of the Ginn project there was a perceived need for economic stimulation of, and diversification to, other areas of Grand Bahama.
“Accordingly, the tribunal concludes that these claims fail on their merits, although it is right to add that the claim based on the Ginn project would have failed on the grounds of both limitation and absence of loss, as the project would admittedly in any event not have proceeded because of the impact of the 2008 global financial crisis.”
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that MARIE CHARLES of Spitfire Road, Stapledon Gardens, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 4th day of March, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that I KENDA OLIBRICE of Romer Street, Fox Hill, New Providence, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 4th day of March, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that RODRIGUE AUGUSTIN of Minnie Street, Nassau, The Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 4th day of March, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that I SHANNON LEE KEMP of #3 West & Marlborough Street, Nassau, The Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 4th day of March, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
arrow-word across: Ceased, Mate, Noel, Real, Who, Cold, Obey, Rib, Sine, She, Ewan, Jessica, Vend, Criteria, Ate, Echo, Deeds, Show, Put, Prison, Hem, Holly, Tyrone, Nor, Leo, Spear, Deaths, Sky. down (left to right): Ire, Rae, Royle, Cameroon, Spiteri, Rea, Sale, Beds, Ted, Shoot, Let, Ace, Ice, Spoon, Deploys, Unless, Heaviest, Drew, Each, Hynes, Ann, Hole, Oak, Ban, Dhow, Marry. Shaded letters: Lewisham CRAZE wordS
Ellie Goulding Arlo Parks Arcade Fire MuddlESoME
clock-wiSE Real, Alto, Tome, Mesa, Same, Mere QuiZ of thE wEEk 1 Australia, 2 William Shakespeare, 3 1940s, 4 Nora Batty, 5 Bananarama, 6 September, 7 Murder On The Orient Express, 8 Vernal, 9 Lily, 10 Saint Petersburg.
7x3=21, 2x6=12, 9+9=18
triVia wordSEarch SuMthiNg SMall croSSword 1 1 Maple Leaf on the Canadian Flag, 2 6 Legs on a Moth, 3 9 Branches on a Menorah, 4 3 Gorgons in Greek Mythology, 5 2 Gentlemen of Verona, 6 4 Sides on a Square 1 Jack Black, 2 Church, 3 Robert Taylor, 4 David Sneddon, 5 Starter For Ten, 6 Bologna, 7 The Lion King, 8 Chicago, 9 Music, 10 Touch
Tribunal: Electricity Act ‘24 ‘overrides’ Hawksbill Creek
POWER - from page B1
the right to regulate GB Power Company and other Freeport-based utilities, such as Cable Bahamas’ Cable Freeport subsidiary, which is locked in a similar legal fight with the Nassau-based supervisory authority. Both are arguing that, under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement’s terms, that the GBPA is their regulator.
“There’s an ongoing case on our courts specifically on this issue, in which the Power Company is challenging the right of URCA to regulate it. This arbitration ruling makes clear URCA has the authority to regulate utilities in Freeport. That case will be dismissed,” the Attorney General asserted.
He later added: “The Electricity Act, that was put in very specifically in that it applied to all areas of The Bahamas including the Port area. The Power Company and Port Authority they say… it is a matter between the Power Company, which has taken the position that regulation of utilities in Freeport [belongs] to the Port Authority and that the Electricity Act should not apply to utilities in the Port area because of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. “It has been a long-standing matter in our courts. I’m glad the arbitration panel made it very clear that the Government of The Bahamas does have the right to be able to legislate the regulatory framework in Freeport with respect to all utilities, inclusive of power.”
Private sector urges ‘stability’ and modernising regulations
REACTION - from page B1
matters concerning the Port area. This outcome brings to the forefront the Chamber’s long-standing call to revisit and modernize the regulatory framework governing the Port area.”
Michael Pintard, the Opposition’s leader, meanwhile challenged the Government’s use of taxpayer dollars to hire a legal team dominated by UK-based KCs and law firms to fight the arbitration on its behalf.
“The tribunal has ruled, and the Government did not succeed in its $357m
claim against the Grand Bahama Port Authority. But, in the PLP’s spin room today, up is down, water isn’t wet, and a loss is a win,” he argued.
“The Davis administration chose an aggressive legal path, spent public funds and failed to secure the result it promised. That’s the bottom line.” Mr Pintard added that the arbitration had created uncertainty impacting both Bahamian and international investors just when “Grand Bahama needs stability and confidence”.
He said: “The Free National Movement supports sensible and productive efforts to make the
MSD Ltd.
Dr Michael Darville, minister of health and wellness, described the arbitration decision as “joy in the morning” for utilities regulation in Freeport. He added that it affirms URCA has “a rightful place in the running of utilities on Grand Bahama, and that will bring tremendous development and change on the island”. URCA’s action is effectively asking the Supreme Court to determine the same issue - who has regulatory authority for electricity and other utilities in Freeport - as that contained in the 2016 case filed against itself by GB Power. The latter action, though, was based on the original Electricity Act that was implemented in 2016, while URCA’s is derived from the more modern statute
GBPA live up to the terms of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement and meet its obligations.
“The focus now must be on restoring stability, rebuilding partnerships and ensuring that any further proceedings are handled transparently and responsibly. This requires a change in leadership and a return to steady, competent governance. We will continue to advocate for disciplined leadership, constructive engagement and long-term prosperity for Grand Bahama and The Bahamas as a whole.”
The Freeport Licensees Association, meanwhile, urged both the Government and GBPA to resolve all outstanding issues from the arbitration in a way “that
law passed by Parliament in 2024.
The crux of the dispute remains the same, with URCA arguing that statute law passed by Parliament in the form of the Electricity Act gives it the authority to regulate energy within Freeport. However, the GBPA has argued that Freeport’s founding treaty, the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, bestows supervisory authority for all utilities within the Port area on itself and is superior to statute law.
The new Electricity Act 2024, which treats Grand Bahama as a Family Island, makes the Grand Bahama Power Company the “approving authority” for anyone submitting a proposal to supply electricity to the public on the island.
The Act states that any approvals by such an
avoids unncessary escalation”. It called on both sides to stop fighting, “turn clarity into action”, and work together with Freeport and Grand Bahama “poised for growth” and now requiring “stability, co-operation” to make this a reality.
“Now that the tribunal has clarified key issues, we respectfully encourage both parties to pursue resolution of the outstanding matters in a manner that avoids unnecessary escalation. Genuine, determined collaboration and structured negotiation would best serve the interests of the business community, investor confidence and the Bahamian public,” the Association argued.
“This ruling presents an opportunity to turn
PUBLIC NOTICE
“authority” must also be given the go-ahead by URCA, and this has been interpreted as a neat way of circumventing the GBPA’s utilities regulatory authority in Freeport and transferring it to URCA via GB Power Company. Thus the stage for a major regulatory and legal clash was set.
GB Power, in its still-live 2016 claim, had initially sought an injunction to prevent URCA “from regulating, or seeking to exercise licensing and regulatory authority” over it. GB Power’s action is founded on the basis that, as a GBPA licensee, it is licensed and regulated by the latter via the Hawksbill Creek Agreement - and not by URCA and the original Electricity Act 2015. It is arguing that the previous Electricity Act’s
clarity into action. We once again call for genuine collaboration between the Government and the GBPA to help Freeport and Grand Bahama reach our full economic potential. Our island has demonstrated extraordinary resilience and remains poised for growth. What is needed now is stability, co-operation and a shared commitment to progress.”
sections 44-46, which gave URCA the legal right to licence and oversee energy providers, “are inconsistent, and conflict with, the rights and privileges vested in [GB Power] and the Port Authority” by the Hawksbill Creek Agreement.
GB Power’s statement of claim argues that itself and the GBPA “have been vested with the sole authority to operate utilities”, including electricity generation and transmission and distribution, within the Port area until the Hawksbill Creek’s expiration in 2054. Cable Bahamas, too, also has a separate legal action contesting URCA’s jurisdiction and authority to regulate its Freeport subsidiary, Cable Freeport.
responsive governance is critical to ensuring Freeport is competitive and resilient.
“As citizens of The Bahamas, we are mindful that disputes of this magnitude inevitably involve the use of public and private resources. While arbitration is an appropriate and legitimate mechanism for resolving complex legal matters, this experience underscores the value of early and consistent dialogue, structured consultation and inclusive stakeholder engagement wherever possible and, most importantly, a shared commitment to resolution so that our island no longer experiences the uncertainty that we have faced for too long,” the Association continued.
Incorporated under the International Business Companies Act, 2000 of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas registered in the Register of Companies under the registration number 212250 B.
(In Voluntary Liquidation)
Notice is hereby given that the liquidation and the winding up of the Company is complete and the Company has been struck off the Register of Companies maintained by the Registrar General.
Dated this 2nd day of March A.D. 2026.
MAURO SERVULO DELGADO SANTOS LIQUIDATOR
FINCH LTD.
(In Voluntary Liquidation)
The public is hereby advised that I, SHORNRICK JAVON TURNQUEST MCMULLEN of Alexandria Blvd., Nassau Village, New Providence, Bahamas, intend to change my name to SHORNRICK JAVON BROWN. If there are any objections to challenge the name by deed poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O. Box N-742, Nassau, The Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this notice. INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL
It added: “As licensees who have invested, built businesses, created employment and committed our futures under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement framework, we welcome the opportunity this ruling brings. Predictability, transparency and stability are essential to maintaining investor confidence and supporting sustainable economic growth in Freeport, and it is critical both the GBPA and the Government remain committed to these principles in earnest to move forward.
“We also acknowledge the tribunal’s findings regarding the environmental by-law process and recognise the importance of timely regulatory development in supporting commerce, environmental stewardship and long-term planning. Effective and
“Freeport operates under a unique legal and economic framework. Broader engagement with licensees - those who live, work, invest and operate daily under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement - can contribute meaningfully to policy development and implementation. Expanding consultation strengthens governance, promotes transparency and helps ensure that legal principles and practical realities remain aligned.”
Incorporated under the International Business Companies Act, 2000 of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas registered in the Register of Companies under the registration number 210349 B..
Notice is hereby given that the liquidation and the winding up of the Company is complete and the Company has been struck off the Register of Companies maintained by the Registrar General.
SERGIO Rodrigues butori LIQUIDATOR NOTICE
NOTICE
Dated this 2nd day of March A.D. 2026.
AMRA Holding Ltd.
Incorporated under the International Business Companies Act, 2000 of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas registered in the Register of Companies under the registration number 1500224 (IBC).
(In Voluntary Liquidation)
Notice is hereby given that the liquidation and the winding up of the Company is complete and the Company has been struck off the Register of Companies maintained by the Registrar General.
Dated this 2nd day of March A.D. 2026.
Alejandro Ubilla Schauricht LIQUIDATOR NOTICE
Gasoline and diesel prices spike overnight as anxious drivers fill up tanks
By CATHY BUSSEWITZ and MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writers
THE average price for a gallon of gasoline jumped 11 cents overnight in the U.S., and drivers in Europe waited in line to fill their tanks with fuel, as war engulfed the Middle East and shipments of oil and gas were stranded in the Persian Gulf.
Depending on the duration of the war, the pain of higher prices could increase in the coming weeks, and may be felt more heavily in areas reliant on imports.
“Right now, the worst of it is centered on Europe, because Europe is a net importer,” said Susan Bell, senior vice president of commodity markets
at Rystad Energy. Diesel prices spiked 27% in Europe since Friday, rising about 62 cents per gallon, she said. “It’s gone up substantially, because Europe is so constrained on diesel supply.”
In the U.S., a gallon of regular was selling for $3.11 on average, according to motor club AAA, surprising some drivers at the pump. Gasoline prices were already rising before the U.S. launched strikes on Iran as refiners switch over to summer blends of fuel. Summer blends of gasoline are more expensive because additives are included to help keep the gasoline from evaporating in the heat, and prices tend to increase as demand for fuel rises in the summer months, said Aixa
Diaz, AAA spokeswoman.
Adding to the pressures, crude prices rose sharply in recent days because of the war. Anne Dulske paid $15 more than usual to fill up her tank at a Jackson, Mississippi gas station on Tuesday.
“It’s going to affect everything in our lives,” she said. “It’s very scary, and it does hit closer to home than people think.”
Dulske, who said she had previously noticed gas prices slowly going down, called the increase surprising and said she was caught off guard when she learned the United States and Israel had attacked Iran over the weekend.
“We are knee-deep into the gas price increases,” said Patrick DeHaan, head
of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, a technology company that helps people find cheap gasoline. DeHaan estimates gasoline price could rise further, but he doubts the price would reach $4 a gallon in the U.S. “Many Americans seem very panicked that prices could hit multiple dollars higher than that, which at this point, I wouldn’t say anything’s impossible, but certainly it’s quite improbable based on the current developments.”
While the U.S. is a net exporter of oil, which is a key component in gasoline, that doesn’t make the country or its consumers immune to higher prices. Oil is traded on a global market, so price increases are felt even within the U.S. Plus, the oil produced in the U.S. is mostly light, sweet crude, and refineries on its coasts are typically geared to process heavier, sour crude, so imports are needed. States that rely heavily on imported oil and
Anxious travelers scramble as Iran war strands tens of thousands across the Middle East
By MATT SEDENSKY, STEFANIE DAZIO and RIO YAMAT Associated Press
FRUSTRATED and anxious travelers searched Tuesday for any way out of the Middle East and beyond as the widening Iran war choked off commercial air traffic through the region for a fourth straight day, stranding tens of thousands of people.
What began Saturday with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran has since rippled far beyond the immediate conflict zone. With airspace closed or heavily restricted across much of the Gulf, passengers have been stuck throughout the region, as well as in cities far from the threat of airstrikes.
“They say ‘Get out,’ but how do you expect us to get out when airspaces are closed?” said Odies Turner, a 32-yearold chef from Dallas who was stuck in Doha, Qatar. “They just have been canceling every flight. I want to go home.”
The U.S. told American citizens to leave more than a dozen countries in the region right away using any available commercial transportation. The countries include Iran and Israel, as well as Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, the Palestinian territories, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
But commercial options remained limited.
As of early Tuesday, nearly 55% of all the scheduled arrivals and departures in the Middle East since the start of the war — or 18,000 flights — had been canceled, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. The number included about 1,900 cancellations on Tuesday.
Governments explore repatriation flights
The U.S. State Department said Tuesday it was “actively securing” military and charter aircraft to fly Americans out of the region. It said it was in contact with nearly 3,000 citizens seeking assistance or information.
“We know that we’re going to be able to help them,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco
Rubio told reporters Tuesday, while cautioning that “it’s going to take a little time because we don’t control the airspace closures.” He urged stranded Americans to contact the State Department: “We need to know who you are.”
Earlier in the day, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee said the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem was “not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel.” He provided information “as a courtesy to those wishing to leave” about an Israeli government shuttle bus to Egypt that Americans could try “as you make your own security plans.”
Israel’s flag carrier, El Al, said it was launching a largescale “recovery operation” as Ben-Gurion Airport prepares to gradually reopen for limited incoming flights starting early Thursday.
Israel’s airspace has been closed since Saturday, although some land crossings remain open. Transportation Minister Miri Regev said thousands have returned that way.
Under the plan, one passenger flight per hour will be allowed in the first 24 hours, totaling about 5,000 people, with more possible depending on security conditions. It is unclear whether only Israelis will be permitted on the flights, and no commercial departures
leaving Israel have been approved.
Australia’ said a commercial flight from Dubai to Sydney was scheduled Wednesday to start repatriating 24,000 Australians stranded in the UAE.
“This is a consular crisis that dwarfs any that Australia has had to deal with in terms of numbers of people,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Waiting and watching Across the Middle East, travelers waited in terminals and hotels, or stayed inside because of airstrikes. Some cruise passengers were unable to disembark or reroute because ships could not sail through the Strait of Hormuz.
Matt Carwell, an American staying in the UAE city of Dubai, was speaking with The Associated Press by phone from his hotel balcony when he suddenly stopped midsentence.
“Wow,” the 46-year-old said.
“There was just a boom.” A fighter jet roared overhead moments later.
Carwell, who volunteers at a New Hampshire school, has flights booked and keeps waiting for one that doesn’t get canceled.
“Right now, we’re safe and comfortable,” he said, but not everyone is. “Just feel for them and feel for the people who have either lost their lives or lost someone they’re close to.”
Trial that could lead to the breakup of Ticketmaster’s parent company gets underway
By LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press
A HIGH-STAKES antitrust trial that could lead to the possible breakup of Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, got underway Tuesday in a case over whether the entertainment giant’s dominance of the concert industry amounts to an illegal monopoly.
In opening statements, a U.S. Justice Department lawyer pointed to the company’s infamously problem-plagued effort to sell Taylor Swift tickets in 2022 as he implored the Manhattan federal jury to
gasoline are having a more painful experience with the rising cost of fuel, said Shon Hiatt, director of the Zage Business of Energy Initiative at the USC Marshall School of Business. California imports refined fuels such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel from South Korea, China and sometimes the Middle East, he said.
“We have an energy security problem in California. It’s not looking good for us,” Hiatt said. China buys oil from Iran and other parts of the Middle East, and with those supplies constrained, “if push came to shove, they’re going to cut off any refined fuel sales to California for sure.” In a suburb of Paris, drivers waited in a queue of 15 cars to fill up at seven pumps, which were charging about 1.846 euros per liter (7 euros per gallon) of diesel Tuesday.
Some travelers stranded in Dubai are paying huge sums for private flights out
end the company’s hold on the market and reward artists and consumers with a competitive marketplace that will leave them with more money.
“This case is about power, the power of a monopolist to control competition,” said the attorney, David Dahlquist. “Today, the concert ticket industry is broken.” David Marriott, arguing on behalf of the companies, disputed the government’s claims.
“We’ll let the numbers do the talking,” he said. “We do not have monopoly power.”
Judge Arun Subramanian has told jurors that evidence will be presented over the next six weeks before they’ll be left to decide whether Live Nation and Ticketmaster broke antitrust laws. The trial stems from a lawsuit filed in 2024 that alleged the companies have dominated the industry by suffocating competitors and controlling everything from concert promotion to ticketing.
Ticketmaster, which was established in 1976 and merged with Live Nation in 2010, is the world’s largest ticket seller across live music, sports, theater and
Airspace across Iran, Iraq, Israel, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Syria were still shut Tuesday, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24. The UAE declared its airspace partially closed, and Jordan suspended daily flights from the mid-afternoon until 6 a.m. local time.
The geography of the war has magnified the disruption to air travel. Gulf airports connect Europe, Africa and Asia, and carriers routinely funnel long-haul passengers through hubs such as Dubai and Doha.
“Within the Middle East, an eight-hour flying distance covers two-thirds of the world population,” said Anita Mendiratta, an aviation and tourism consultant who was stranded in Bangkok. When that corridor is blocked, Mendiratta said, it forces planes far north or south, which “puts huge pressure on the airlines.”
Some of the aviation notices governing the closures allow authorities to reopen or restrict portions of airspace on short notice depending on security conditions, meaning flight schedules can change rapidly as the conflict continues to unfold.
Some begin to leave
Despite the uncertainty, some travelers managed to catch flights.
Oman Airways advertised flights from Muscat International Airport for passengers able to reach the city from the UAE. Virgin Atlantic said it planned to resume limited service between London Heathrow and both Dubai and Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
Oman’s airspace remained open, while Saudi Arabia kept most of its airspace operating despite partial closures near its border with Iraq and along the Persian Gulf — making Muscat and Riyadh key staging points for repatriation efforts.
Some wealthy travelers are paying large sums for luxury flights to Europe via airports that are safe from Iranian drone and missile attacks, looking to evacuate by first traveling overland to Muscat or to Riyadh.
By SIMINA MISTREANU and STEFANIE DAZIO Associated Press
TENS of thousands of airline passengers are stranded by the Iran war that has spread across the Gulf region, but some wealthy travelers are getting out — by paying large sums for luxury flights to Europe via airports that are safe from Iranian drone and missile attacks.
Demand for charter flights has skyrocketed, with some people paying up to 200,000 euros ($232,000) as major airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, Qatar, were closed after the start of the conflict last weekend.
Travelers from Dubai, usually known as a safe and luxurious destination, are seeking to evacuate by traveling overland either to Muscat, Oman, about a four-hour drive, or to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, more than 10 hours away. Then they board one of the few available commercial flights or take a charter flight, whose costs have soared since the start of the war.
“The demand is huge, and we can’t deliver enough aircraft to respond to the demand,” said Altay Kula, CEO of the France-based private jet broker JET-VIP.
Whereas normally a charter flight on a private jet that can accommodate up to 16 passengers from Riyadh to Porto in Portugal may cost around 100,000 euros ($115,800) these days, the cost has doubled, Kula said. “This increase in cost reflects the aircraft’s scarcity, the repositioning costs as well, and the operator risk assessments. So this is not speculative pricing,” he added.
Prices can vary depending on the departure point, the type of aircraft and the route constraints, said Ameerh Naran, CEO of Vimana Private Jets. For flights from the Gulf region to Europe, prices are ranging from 150,000 euros ($173,800) to 200,000 euros, he added.
In order to reach functional airports such as those in Riyadh and Muscat, some travelers hire private security companies that coordinate transportation in vehicles ranging from ordinary passenger cars to coach buses. Due to the heavy traffic, wait times at border points with Oman can be up to four hours, while costs range in the thousands of dollars, said Ian McCaul, operations and planning director with Alma Risk, a U.K.based risk management and security firm. Those seeking to leave are predominantly stranded travelers, as opposed to residents, McCaul added.
He estimates his company has made transfer arrangements for more than 200 people and advised several others in recent days. Vimana’s clients include business executives, families and entrepreneurs, as well as remote workers who had been based in the region, Naran said.
Elie Hanna, CEO for the Middle East headquarters of Air Charter Service, based in Dubai, said most of the flights out of the region are leaving from Oman.
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more. Dahlquist noted that the ticket seller sparked outrage in November 2022 when its site crashed during a presale event for Swift’s Eras Tour. The company said the site was overwhelmed by both fans
attacks from bots, which were posing as consumers to scoop up tickets and sell them on secondary sites. The debacle prompted congressional hearings and bills in state legislatures
Dahlquist said Live Nation’s anti-competitive practices include using long-term contracts ranging from five to seven years to keep venues from choosing rivals and blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers.
Ticketmaster’s clashes with artists and fans date back three decades. Pearl
PEOPLE arrive at the International Airport in Frankfurt, Germany, after being evacuated from Dubai on a commercial flight, Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
Photo:Michael Probst/AP
THE TICKETMASTER logo is seen along the sideline of the field before an NFL football game, Sept. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla.
Photo:Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP
IN this Wednesday, June 8, 2011 file photo, sun sets behind an oil pump in the desert oil fields of Sakhir, Bahrain.
