July 6, 2026
The Government should not move ahead with plans for the Afro-Caribbean Marketplace while leaving others behind.
Recently, the Minister for Grand Bahama stated that the Government has acquired the Harcourt property, including the Princess Towers and Casino, as well as approximately 4.365 acres of land west of Sunrise Highway. The Minister further advised that the Government met with 13 property owners and, with the exception of one, had reached agreements to acquire additional properties necessary for the project to proceed.
It was also announced that payments to these property owners were expected to commence within approximately ten days of the announcement.
What the Government did not disclose, however, is the situation facing the straw vendors, who are also stakeholders in the International Bazaar. Members of the Straw Market Company Limited have reportedly been informed that they are not entitled to any compensation and that the Government would “get back to them.”
This position was reportedly communicated during a meeting with representatives of the Ministry for Grand Bahama. Since then, the Straw Market Company Limited has made repeated attempts to meet with the Minister but has received no response.
I’m calling on the Government to do right by the members of the Straw Market Company Limited. Established in 2002, it was entrusted with managing the Straw Markets A, B, and C at the International Bazaar in Freeport. Collectively, these properties encompass nearly 5,450 square feet.
No stakeholder should be left behind or kept in the dark regarding the Government’s plans for the Afro-Caribbean Marketplace. No one should be denied fair consideration while others are reportedly being compensated.
The long-awaited redevelopment of the International Bazaar presents an opportunity to push Grand Bahama in the right direction. However, true progress must be inclusive.
The people who have invested years in sustaining businesses at the Bazaar deserve transparency, respect, and equitable treatment throughout this process. Their dignity matters!
Michael C. Pintard
FNM Leader