The Minnis administration  insists that it is still trying to find a buyer for the Grand Lucayan Hotel, a property that closed its doors some years ago.

According to Press Secretary Anthony Newbold, the plan was always to engage an operator for the hotel.

He said, “the proposal left on the table was unacceptable to the government.

“As a consequence, we say it was unacceptable to the Bahamian people and so it was rejected,” he added.

“No plan up to today has surfaced that is acceptable and so the government, as Prime Minister Minnis has said, may have to just step in and buy the hotel and find somebody to operate it.”

Mr. Newbold said the human element can’t be ignored – and that’s the fact that hotel workers in Grand Bahama need employment.

However, he said there are challenges in getting the hotel sold.

“It’s a difficult market, and [when] you talk about one of the elements of purchasing a hotel or operating a hotel, you need airlift – one of the biggest challenges for anyone operating in Grand Bahama,” he said.

“It’s crazy to fly from New York or Florida for that matter, to Grand Bahama.

“And so how do you find the proper airlift to feed a hotel that you would open and so you know it’s a challenge that’s gone back years.

“And so again you keep trying to find a solution to it, there’s got to be some solution,” said  the Press Secretary.

As for if the $25 million dollars allocated in the 2018/2019 budget to assist tourism will be used to purchase the beleaguered hotel, Mr. Newbold said, if this is the case, it must be done.

“Whichever way the government and the Minister of Finance, whatever they need to do, if that is the final decision, that [they’re] going to buy this hotel, he would have to find the money somewhere and make it more palatable to everyone.”