KELLY BURROWS WRITES: CLEAN UP FREEPORT

18 February 2025

I feel the need to speak out on the subject of all the talk of the come back of Freeport. I’m not a pessimist, but a realist. We who have had the opportunity to witness and enjoy the magic of Freeport in the late 60s to 2004 before Francis and Jane, will never see the likes off those days in our lifetime, so please stop talking shit about Freeport is on the move, the move to where?

The vast straw vendors in Port Lucaya are suffering, people are still living in cars, lately, the bus stops are being transformed into resting places for the homeless, begging downtown and in the Lucaya shopping mall have increased.

Is that the come back we need?

You just need to take a ride around Freeport that was and your heart will be filled with sadness, the place has become a total ghetto. I remember trying to get an apartment in Coral Gardens in the 70s, and was told that none was available after being told from an inside source that they was availability.

I then got one of the white Denmark guys, after telling him what I was experiencing to go and apply for a one bedroom apartment. He was accommodated with no problems, I went back the next day and approached the same lady who told me there was no availability, after telling her the story of accommodating the white guy but refusing me was rank of prejudice, she immediately changed her tune. I knew I had her on the ropes and demanded a two bedroom at the price of a one bedroom apartment which she complied, no demands for first last and security.

I was the only black at the time in that part of a segregated Freeport. Now look at what Coral Gardens has become today?

I refused to go into the hospitality field where my training is, after observing the rejects out of Nassau at the time not qualified but holding top positions in the hotel’s. I was hired as a timekeeper for “Hersent Ballist” the company who came in from Denmark to build the tanks at Burmah Oil, for 3 1/2 years.

Realizing that it was coming to an end. I then resurfaced my resume to the hotels on the Island. Within 3 days I got a call for an interview from Mrs. Elmena Saunders Bethel, that The Food and Beverage Director Mr Herb Bentel wanted to meet with me. We met and had a fruitful frank discussion on his present makeup of Restaurant Managers, all who in my opinion was unqualified and I told him that. He was a bit taken aback.

After pondering for a minute or two, then he asked me if I knew them. I told him yes. They were all rejects who came to Freeport. There were a few Grand Bahamians who were holding on with no formal training or exposure. Unfortunately that’s who they were stuck with at the majority of the hotels in Grand Bahama.

Mr. Bentell was very impressed by my straight forwardness on my observation. He then created a new position at the Holiday Inn and made me Food and Beverage service manager, where I brought about some semblance of domestic organization in the Food and Beverage Department.

It wasn’t easy, but my determination to carry out my training from some of the top hoteliers in Nassau and Paradise island kicked in. Those who refused to follow my lead in “Sec” STANDARDS. ENFORCEMENT. CONSISTENCY, we parted ways.

Luis Reynoso, who fired me from Loews Paradise Island …encouraged the late Kendal Sands and myself to join them in their nefarious partnership, so we went back to the Nassau Beach where I stayed until June of 1973 before relocating to Freeport on the 12th of July 1973.

When Louie came down as the General Manager of the International Hotel, later the Princess Towers, he sent for me, giving me an offer I couldn’t refuse.

You’re talking about service problems, the worst of its kind.  To this day I believe that the automatic 15% played a big role in the erosion of service, where anything goes, coupled with the untrained supervisors.

After my observation, after 2-3 weeks I knew that I had a Herculean task in bringing my best to a situation. After Louie gave me 9 names of waitresses who the most complaints were coming from, I was very disappointed in a few of the seasoned personnel from Nassau who allowed such chaos to take place.

I met with Mr. Reynoso and told him what I was up against. He then told me that I answered only to him and I must do what I needed to do. I then brought 11 of my key people from the Holiday Inn giving them offers they couldn’t refuse. I’m proud to this day that I was able to turn things around for the better at that particular restaurant and eventually the entire Princess property.

Spending 26 years at the Princess was some of the best years of my 52 years in the hospitality world, rising to the top becoming the Executive Assistant Food and Beverage Director for the 3 properties. I was responsible for 9 restaurants 5 of which were high end 13 bars.

My thanks for my progress and development goes out to Tim Russell and Mr. Bill Lacaff who saw the potential I possessed. And my loyal team that supported me, a few have fallen on the wayside, but, my daily prayers are always with them that they will see the errors of their ways!!!

Presently Freeport with all its infrastructure in place is lying dormant, while all the other islands are bursting with tourism. Until the Government gets serious and move on the Port Authority and whoever is in charge to do what is required of them, like, building a proper airport or get a serious investor interested in purchasing Our Lucaya, there will be little progress. We must tearing down the bazaar and the Princess properties and clean up Freeport from the debris and old cars all over.  If we do not do that,  we will remain in the state we’re in!!!