Shenia Roberts
Journal Staff Writer

Prime Minister Philip Davis and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and Aviation
Chester Cooper visited the island of Eleuthera on Monday to sign a $55 million dollar loan
agreement with the Saudi Fund for Development to facilitate updates to North Eleuthera’s airport
terminal.
The updates to North Eleuthera International Airport have been long awaited and will foster
greater opportunities for the residents and economy of North Eleuthera.
Back in 2023, the Government of The Bahamas set out to identify airports across The Bahamas
that needed to be modernized and updated and this was part of their Family Island Renaissance
Project initiative.
This initiative was outlined in the governments Blueprint for Change, tabled earlier on in their
governance. Eleuthera’s Terminal is one of 15 Terminals expected to be built around the country
as a result of this project.
DPM Cooper shared his views on the initiative expressing “This project reflects our commitment
to ensure that every Bahamian, regardless of where they live, benefits from modern reliable
infrastructure. We are building for the future.”
Deputy director general of tourism and director of aviation Dr. Kenneth Romer, also expressed
his belief and support in the project saying that “improving airport infrastructure and ensuring
their strategic development is a critical component of our National Aviation Strategic Plan”.
Additionally, Prime Minister Davis said in his recent statement to the press that “the $55 million
investment is about unlocking Eleuthera’s potential and ensuring that its people can fully benefit
from the island’s rapid growth.”
He believes that this improvement will not only benefit travellers but the local orange economy
as well saying “The upgrade to the airport means a stronger local economy, more jobs, and
greater opportunities for businesses.”
PM Davis also believes that this enhancement will permit the island to house more tourists at
once, allowing larger groups to visit which will directly benefit the driving force of Eleuthera’s
local economy, the tourism sector.
He also explained that this upgrade will encourage more international flights creating more
traffic throughout the island due to locals now being able to use the terminal for connectivity to
other destinations. 
Furthermore, he explains that this fact coupled with the low interest rate of 2.5%, ensures we can
complete this project sustainably and benefit the people of Eleuthera.

According to the ministry of tourism’s mission the Renaissance Family Island Project is set to
accomplish several objectives.
The investment in Bahamian airports is expected to increase traffic, boost the economy, create jobs, and
provide new opportunities for local businesses.
It will also improve facilities and infrastructure for better comfort and safety during natural disasters.
This initiative is set to break ground on several different islands in the upcoming months