The Freeport Graveyard

The pretty Christmas Tree lights throughout Freeport in Grand Bahama, belie a sad story.  The economic situation is such that people are frantic particularly as the general election nears. There is a feeling that the PLP needs to  get the contracts signed right away; get people on the permanent and pensionable; they must get their people straight because the feeling is that the world is coming to an end and the FNM is going to win.  The problems in Grand Bahama that mirror the rest of The Bahamas is that the storm damaged the economic and physical infrastructure of the city.  The hotel plant is dead and no prospect of a revival before March it appears. Then there is the Container Port with layoffs there.  It appears that their cranes were badly damaged and can’t be up and running in full for a year and half because the cranes have to be rebuilt and there is the rebuilding time.  People are just bracing for bad news.  Michael Darville, the Minister for Grand Bahama, is really trying his best in a difficult situation.  He is the lone political figure standing in the gap in Freeport and is assaulted on every side with one request or the next.  How he gets through a day is hard to fathom being pulled very which way in a thankless task.  The Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchombe has a lot on his hands in trying to rebuild West End which was mashed up by the storm.  So it’s a tough time.  But they say tough times make tough people and out of the ashes of despair comes hope.  We hope that is the case with Freeport and Grand Bahama which is one of the most beautiful spots on God’s earth.  As for the frantic people, one way to ensure that there is no issue is to vote PLP and the government wont change.