business@tribunemedia.net
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2025
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Disputed $1.3m Post Office bid report’s release ordered By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net AN AGGRIEVED Bahamian entrepreneur has persuaded the Supreme Court to order that the Government’s “evaluation” of his bid for the $1.323m Post Office digitisation contract be released. Ronnie Ferguson, Sunrise Communications’ principal, cited the Public Procurement Act as the basis for his ultimately successful attempt to obtain disclosure of the Government’s assessment of his proposal as he pursues legal redress over allegations his firm was prevented from fulfilling the contract award. While the Government admits that a public notice was issued confirming that Sunrise Communications was awarded the Post Office digitisation deal, it is arguing that this “was done in error” and denies that he secured the contract or “did the necessary work” to obtain it. However, Justice Leif Farquharson, in an October 15, 2025, ordered that the evaluation of Mr Ferguson’s bid be released under the Public Procurement Act 2021’s section 86 (2) which mandates that government entities must keep all procurement bid
records for a period of seven years. This section survived that Act’s repeal and replacement by the Public Procurement Act 2023. The significance of the Supreme Court’s decision is that it confirms aggrieved bidders, who feel they have been improperly or unfairly treated in a government tender process and want to seek redress for their grievances, can now use the Public Procurement Act to obtain documents relevant to how their proposal was handled - creating improved disclosure and transparency. Justice Farquharson, however, also rejected Mr Ferguson’s bid to obtain “any decision to suspend or debar” his proposal “and the reason for the decision” as this was not pleaded in either Sunrise Communications’ claim or the Government’s defence. Describing the claim as “not a model of clarity”, the judge nevertheless said the Public Procurement Act was intended to “ensure integrity” in the award of government contracts and “seemingly contemplates a bidder being entitled to certain information with respect to the processing and disposition of his bid”. The “promotion of transparency” was another key objective. “In the circumstances, I am
prepared to order disclosure of the evaluation report required to be kept [under] the Act,” Justice Farquharson ruled. “Such disclosure is only to relate to the claimant and his bid. In other words, I am not requiring disclosure of any information in relation to any third-party bids or bidders for the material contract.... “Any evaluation report prepared with respect to the claimant’s bid would appear to be directly relevant to matters in question in the proceedings. I say this because, if such an evaluation exists, it would likely either tend to adversely affect the defendants’ [the Government] case or tend to support the claimant’s case. “Specifically, it would assist in determination of the issue as to whether the claimant’s bid was in fact approved as he alleges or whether, as the defendants say, the public notification of the material contract being awarded to him was issued in error. Such an evaluation report is also relevant to the issue of the defendants’ compliance with the Act.” Setting out both sides’ positions, Justice Farquharson said of Mr Ferguson and Sunrise Communications: “The claimant, in his statement of CONTRACT - SEE PAGE FOUR
SANDALS RAISING BEACHES OUTLAY TO $150M IN MID-NOVEMBER DEAL By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Government will sign a midNovember deal with Sandals that will see it increase its investment in the Beaches Exuma project by 50 percent to $150m, the deputy prime minister said yesterday. Chester Cooper, also minister of tourism, investments and aviation, told the Exuma Business Outlook that the resort chain’s long-awaited transformation of its Emerald Bay property into its family-oriented
brand “is a catalyst project” set to generate “a healthy boost for the overall island of Exuma”. “The last time I was here at the Business Outlook we talked about a $100m investment,” the Exuma MP said. “I’m pleased to tell you two things. Firstly, this investment will now exceed $150m, and secondly, we expect the final agreement to be executed here in mid-November. November 2025.” Besides generating significant construction and full-time jobs, Mr Cooper said the Beaches development will
‘WHO’S GOING TO WORK’ NEW 400-500 EXUMA ROOMS? By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net HOTELIERS yesterday challenged “who’s going to work” the 400-500 new hotel rooms forecast for Exuma in 2026 as the island’s “skilled labour” and housing shortages came to the forefront. Shona Perry, Grand Isle Resort’s general manager,
told the Exuma Business Outlook that the availability of quality labour is “a true issue at the moment” after Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister, hailed the $2bn in new investments that the Davis administration has secured for the island with several hundred hotel rooms projected to come online next year. SHORTAGE - SEE PAGE EIGHT
“build international prestige” for Exuma as a tourism destination plus mobilise marketing support that will attract more airlift to the island and “generate spill over business that spreads the benefits broadly across Exuma”. He added: “The creation of family, all-inclusive accommodations, which are highly sought-after, will bring significant business from Canada and Europe, and we anticipate this is going to be a healthy boost for the overall island of Exuma.” SANDALS - SEE PAGE SEVEN
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‘CANNOT MISS THE BOAT’: DPM DISCLOSES SAUDI FUNDING FOR GB AIRPORT By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Government was yesterday warned it “cannot miss the boat” on Grand Bahama International Airport after it was revealed that a Saudi-controlled fund will “reallocate” monies to its redevelopment. Dillon Knowles, the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce’s president, told Tribune Business he would “like to believe it’s positive” after Chester Cooper, the deputy prime minister, disclosed that the Saudi Fund for Development has agreed to repurpose multi-million dollar financing previously assigned to the Exuma and North Eleuthera upgrades. Explaining that it was difficult to judge what this meant, given the absence
of specifics and details in Mr Cooper’s Exuma Business Outlook remarks, he added that the most critical issue is to ensure Grand Bahama International Airport does not become a “hindrance” to ongoing and pipeline investment projects targeted at the island. Mr Knowles said the ‘bottom line’ for Grand Bahama’s economy is that its international airport has the capacity, and facilities, to handle and process the projected increase in passenger numbers in time for when projects such as the $827m sale and redevelopment of the Grand Lucayan; $600m Grand Bahama Shipyard dry docks; and Weller Development’s $250m Six Senses resort launch. REALLOCATE - SEE PAGE SIX
‘GOV’T WON’T BE BENT’: DPM BLASTS ROSEWOOD OPPONENT By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE deputy prime minister yesterday pledged the Government will not be “bullied” or “bent” by investors as he accused a key opponent of the $200m Rosewood resort of putting his interests “ahead” of Exuma residents. Chester Cooper, also minister of tourism, investments and aviation, used his Exuma Business Outlook conference address to slam Bob Coughlin, principal of the Turtlegrass Resort and Island Club, for threatening to halt his $75m project after its first phase unless his concerns over Yntegra Group’s neighbouring development were satisfactorily resolved. Asserting that Exuma
residents “will not sell their birth right for a bowl of porridge”, he added that the Government will “not be influenced... by individuals who determine they will put their self-interest ahead of the interests of the people of Exuma”. Representatives for Mr Coughlin and Turtlegrass declined to respond when contacted by Tribune Business yesterday, although Mr Cooper reiterated his and the Davis administration’s belief that Rosewood Exuma and Turtlegrass can live harmoniously side-by-side. Nevertheless, emphasising that he still backs Mr Coughlin and wants to see his development “flourish”, the deputy prime minister said: “I want to take this SLAMS - SEE PAGE FIVE