Family Island Administrators being reassured of the government’s commitment to be the first to hear of any major infrastructure signing for their island.

The reassurance was given by Prime Minister, Dr. Hubert Minnis during the opening of a Local Government three-day workshop here in the capital.

He said that the government plans to undertake several projects and initiatives to improve life on the Family Islands.

Yesterday, the  Prime  Minister informed the administrators of a plethora of significant sustainable development projects in areas such as Tourism, Education, Healthcare, and Agriculture and Fisheries.

Such developments, according to Dr. Minnis, include the government exploring the opportunity to establish a transshipment port in Mayaguana, as well as the “development of Poultry Farm and Processing Plants in North Andros and Eleuthera with a distribution center on New Providence, an incentive that will be started through the Bahamas Striping Group of Companies.

“Abaco Islands and Abaco Cays will receive significant new investments. These include the proposed Tyrsoz Family, $580 million investment in South Abaco for the development of a five star residential resort and marina which will involve the upgrade and expansion of the Sandy Point airstrip, the development of Sandy Point ferry dock and a cargo transshipment port and construction area, and the extension of Queen’s Highway in South Abaco.

“In Andros we have approved a Bahamian joint venture partnership. The partnership, [an] arrangement for the development of the Blue Hole Marina and Lodge in Fresh Creek consisting of a 12 room lodge and an 80 slip marina including a bulk fuel facility,” Dr. Minnis said.

For Long Island, Dr. Minnis added that that island’s economy will also be boosted with a major development; $5 million 28 bungalow community development in Pinder’s Bay.

” Also in the works for Long Island is a new five-star Eco Resort by Star Resort with 515 luxury residences,” Dr. Minnis said.

“The Berry islands, Bimini and Exuma experienced their share of investments with the expansion of existing properties and green field tourism projects,” he said.

As for Ragged Island, severely impacted by major Hurricanes in 2016 and 2017, Dr. Minnis said that the government is making progress to “incorporate solar power generation” into the island’s electricity grid making that island the “first green smart island in The Bahamas”

Other infrastructure enhancements include improvement to water access on Crooked Island and Long Island.

The Local Government Workshop is meeting under the theme “Family Island Administrators Agents of Change, Productivity, and Accountability.

The workshop is being held March 25- 27 at the Melia, Nassau Beach Resort.