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Thursday, July 30, 2026
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Briland operator’s ex-partner ‘harassing’ Bahamian realtor BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
CA Christie blasts revival of ‘threadbare allegations’ in Conch & Coconut battle
A TOP Bahamian real estate firm is accusing a Briland tourism operator’s ex-business partner of “harassing” it with “threadbare allegations” that it has exploited his “trade secrets” and confidential customer lists to generate eight highend Harbour Island sales and rentals. CA Christie and its franchisor, Corcoran Group, in fresh legal filings demanded on Monday that the south Florida federal court block Pablo Conde and his half of the former Conch & Coconut tour operator partnership from “pursuing” discovery against them until he pleads “viable claims” to back arguments they were “unjustly enriched” by their Briland agent’s conduct.
‘Shaq’s ex-business ally moves swiftly to refresh ‘unjust enrichment’ allegation Claims real estate firm aided by his customer list on eight Harbour Island deals That agent, Julian ‘Shaq’ Gibson, is embroiled in an increasingly bitter legal battle against Mr Conde on both sides of the Florida straits following the messy break-up of their business alliance, which has exposed allegations of illegal ‘fronting’ and more than $1m in unpaid Bahamian taxes. But Mr Conde’s claim that CA Christie was “vicariously liable”, meaning it was responsible, and should assume liability for, Mr Gibson’s alleged Conch & Coconut actions was dismissed on July 10.
However, in that decision, Judge Kathleen Williams gave Mr Conde and Conch & Coconut LLC, the former US half of the Briland tourism partnership, 14 days to cure these and other deficiencies with their case by filing a revised complaint with the south Florida court. Needing no invitation, Mr Conde has done exactly that, coming back with new particulars alleging that CA Christie has exploited, and benefited from, confidential customer lists obtained by Mr Gibson in at least eight transactions.
The US investor alleges he has identified “at least four” Harbour Island properties that have been sold by Mr Gibson, and a further “three active listings that had been rented to Conch & Coconut customers”, as a result of his erstwhile Bahamian partner purportedly improperly obtaining client data. As a result, Mr Conde is hoping this will be sufficient to revive his claims against CA Christie and its franchisor in a case built on allegations of trademark and intellectual property violations. However, the Bahamian real estate firm, in response to Mr Conde’s latest pleadings, reiterated that they suffer from the same earlier “defects” in that they provide no evidence to show it “directly participated” in the Briland business of the same
LEGAL - See Page B11
Residents voice frustration on Freeport Harbour plans BY FAY SIMMONS TRIBUNE Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net RESIDENTS last night voiced frustration, anger and long-standing distrust of Bahama Rock's operations during a heated public consultation on the company's proposed 270-acre Freeport Habour expansion and acquisition of the former Bahama Cement Company site. Several attendees argued that decades of blasting, dust,
flooding and property damage to nearby homes and communities must be addressed before regulators consider approving the project. The consultation frequently descended into tense exchanges as residents challenged company representatives, environmental consultants and government officials over the proposal, questioned the credibility of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and, at times, interrupted
Port Lucaya project could revive ‘10-year ghost land’ BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE GRAND Bahama Chamber of Commerce’s president yesterday urged all parties in the Port Lucaya Marina hold-up to “sit at the table and work at it” given the $22m project’s potential to revive a near ten-year “ghost land”. Ralph Hepburn told Tribune Business that “patience” is required from both Bahamaland Waterways, the marina’s new owner and prospective developer, and both the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) and Grand Bahama Development Company (DevCO),
as the issues that caused the ‘stop work’ order halting the property’s demolition are solvable. He reiterated, though, that it is vital “the rule of law be followed to the ‘t’”, and to ensure that all parts of the permitting and approval process are “done properly” to ensure the Port Lucaya Marina’s redevelopment moves forward with everything necessary in place. And, speaking after the public back-and-forth between Bahamaland Waterways and the GBPA/ DevCO dominated media coverage earlier this week, Mr Hepburn told this newspaper it may have been
HALT - See Page B7
Bank profits jump $151m in 2 years BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIAN commercial banking industry profits surged by a collective $49m in 2025 to breach the $550m mark as regulators hailed the financial services industry’s stability despite a slight “ebb” on the bank side. The Central Bank, unveiling the 2025 Financial Stability Report, revealed that commercial bank profits generated by the likes of Royal Bank of Canada, Scotiabank and
CIBC Caribbean, as well as locally-owned Commonwealth Bank, Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) and Bank of The Bahamas, increased by more than $151m in two years as the industry’s postCOVID rebound continues. Last year’s combined net income rose by almost 10 percent,. “Domestic banks’ net income strengthened in 2025 by $49.1m (9.7 percent) to $553.6m after a $102.2m (25.4 percent) expansion in 2024,” the Central Bank disclosed.
GROWTH - See Page B11
RAYNARD RIGBY KC
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DAVE BECKFORD
Judge urges BAIC union leaders: Halt ‘internal fighting’ Tells Bahamas General Workers Union council to get act together, hold elections Rules late president’s ‘dismissal’ of five council members ‘foul of the constitution’ Union’s bank account ‘noncompliant’, 2023 and 2024 external audits qualified BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
269 acres of the former Bahamas Cement Company property at Southwest Point. The project would involve excavating limestone aggregate before converting the site into new turning basins and deep-water berths to expand Freeport Harbour, a
A SUPREME Court judge yesterday urged leaders of the trade union formed to represent Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) workers to rapidly cease “internal fighting” that sparked “years of instability” and undermined its “relevance”. Acting justice Raynard Rigby KC called on members of the Bahamas General Workers Union’s (BGWU) executive council to now “move quickly” in setting dates for the nomination and election of new officers following his verdict on a dispute that splintered its leadership into two rival factions amid unproven claims of “a conspiracy.. to destabilise” the organisation. His July 29, 2026, ruling on whether the president or executive council has the power “to suspend or expel” one of the latter’s members resulted in a total defeat for the BGWU’s late leader, Linda Sands, and Natania Johnson, the secretary-general. Acting justice Rigby instead found for their opponents, headed by veteran
BLASTING - See Page B6
QUARREL - See Page B12
BAHAMA ROCK EXPANSION presentations to voice frustration over what they described as years of unresolved complaints. The meeting, hosted by the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP), formed part of the environmental review process for Bahama Rock's proposal to acquire and mine around
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