By Chloee Deveaux
Journal Staff Writer

Prime Minister Philip Davis addressed the ongoing negotiations regarding the sale of the Grand
Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) and said the government is willing to “step to the plate” to
acquire the Port Authority.
The government has long been searching for a private investor or buyer that would meet its
standards and is open to working under the bureaucracy of the quasi-governmental authority.
“If it’s going to be sold it requires government approval and we’ll approve any agreement for the
sale of the Port Authority, once it’s going to align with the benefits. We have identified that could
be had by Grand Bahamians and The Bahamas in particular,” Prime Minister Davis said.
“The government is willing to step up to the plate to acquire the port, and we’ve made that
known to the families as well.”
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Davis raised concerns over the Port Authority’s management,
accusing the port of not remaining in compliance with the Hawksbill Creek Agreement and its
stipulations. Mr. Davis stated the Port Authority must reimburse the government, citing the
agreements sub-clauses.
Minister of Legal Affairs Ryan Pinder specified during the 2023-2024 Budget Debate that the
government’s claims that the Port Authority failed to follow its obligations are “pursuant to
section 1(5) of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement”.
The Grand Bahama Port Authority released a statement disputing the government’s interpretation
of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement laws.
“Further, government’s claims under clause 1(5) of the HCA are contested. GBPA is yet to be
satisfied that the government’s purported claims, which have lain dormant for more than 50
years, are justified and supported by credible evidence. They are, however, being reviewed and
will be fully addressed. We would add however, that the claims under this clause, which has not
been amended since 1965, when Freeport was in its infancy, have little relevance today.”
Sources close to the government spoke to local media suggesting the government looked at a
price range of $150 – $170 million, but it is still unclear whether the Sir Jack Hayward Estate,
with 50 percent interest in the Port Authority, is officially willing to sell. In contrast to the St.
George Estate’s willingness to sell, the Hayward Estate’s judicial trustees have been hesitant,
recently requesting a valuation of the Grand Bahama Port Authority.
Although it is unclear if both parties would settle for the price range the government is allegedly
willing to pay, the Davis administration seems anxious to prove its commitment to Grand
Bahama in the wake of Minister Kingsley Smith’s unofficial win in the recent by-election.