During Monday’s sitting of the Bahamas House of Assembly, Ginger Moxey, the Cabinet minister responsible for Grand Bahama, delivered an optimistic assessment of the island’s post-recession and post-hurricane economic rebound to lawmakers, though she declined to offer new clarity on the two largest and most hotly debated infrastructure projects pending on the island: the stalled Grand Lucayan resort development and the planned redevelopment of Grand Bahama International Airport.
Moxey framed Grand Bahama’s current trajectory as a three-part story of full recovery, widespread reconstruction, and systemic transformation, pointing to a cumulative pipeline of active and completed investments totaling more than $3.5 billion that she says are reshaping the island’s economic foundation.
Despite the upbeat overview, Moxey’s budget address left unaddressed the core questions that opposition lawmakers have repeatedly pressed the ruling Davis administration to answer regarding the two high-stakes unfinished projects. Kwasi Thompson, the Member of Parliament for East Grand Bahama, specifically pressed Moxey to disclose the current status of the Grand Lucayan development and share a timeline for settling outstanding wage payments owed to former workers connected to the project.
In her response, Moxey reaffirmed that the Grand Lucayan property remains a central pillar of the government’s broader tourism redevelopment strategy, critical to expanding Freeport’s available hotel room inventory and supporting the local economy. She offered no concrete details, however, on immediate next steps for the site.
On the topic of Grand Bahama International Airport, Moxey similarly acknowledged that the facility is a linchpin for the island’s tourism, transportation network, and ability to attract outside investment. She confirmed that redevelopment planning remains on schedule, but did not share a formal completion timeline or any specific details about the scope of upcoming work. This lack of transparency comes less than a week after Frazette Gibson, MP for Central Grand Bahama, publicly accused the administration of keeping the Bahamian public in the dark about the future of the Grand Lucayan.
Speaking during her own budget address the previous week, Gibson argued: “The country still does not know what the government intends to do on the Grand Lucayan. The matter is still shrouded in confusion and secrecy.” Gibson also joined opposition calls for clarity on when outstanding wages and benefits will be disbursed to former employees of Lucayan Renewal Holdings, the state-owned entity previously tasked with overseeing the Grand Lucayan project. Additionally, she pushed for updates on the government’s search for a private development partner to lead the airport’s redevelopment and asked when U.S. border preclearance services, a critical draw for international travelers, will be restored at the facility.
Moxey used her address to shine a spotlight on the multiple major development projects that are already advancing across the island. These include the $600 million Celebration Key cruise destination, which has officially opened to visitors and is now moving into its second phase of construction. She also noted that the $450 million MSC Cruise Port development is progressing on schedule, and the $348 million Royal Caribbean resort project at Xanadu Beach continues to move forward.
Beyond tourism, Moxey highlighted ongoing progress across key public and private sector projects: the new Freeport Health Campus is under active construction, and the expanded Doctors Hospital facility is nearing completion. A new dry dock has been delivered to the Grand Bahama Shipyard, with additional units on the way to expand the island’s growing maritime industry. Construction is ongoing for the Innovate 242 business incubator, and energy firm Liwathon has completed its acquisition of the South Riding Point terminal and is pouring new reinvestment into the property.
Visible revitalization efforts are also underway in downtown Freeport, Moxey said, while Island Impressions, a new cultural attraction based at the Grand Bahama Arts and Crafts Centre, is on track for its official launch. Construction on the Fishing Hole Cultural Village is set to begin in the near future, preliminary prep work has started for the rehabilitation and reopening of West Sunrise Highway, and the acquisition of the International Bazaar and Royal Oasis property is in the final stages of completion. The Afro-Caribbean Marketplace and Logistics Centre remains in the pre-construction planning phase.
At the University of The Bahamas North campus, Moxey confirmed that Phase One of the expansion project is fully complete, and Phase Two is on track to be fully operational for the fall 2026 academic semester. In a final exchange during the debate, Gibson questioned Moxey about a reported $60,000 government allocation for a youth club initiative. Moxey had previously told lawmakers that Agritech cadets are halfway through their year-long training program, and the Young Innovators Club will launch an engagement tour of schools and youth organizations across the island this coming September. In response to Gibson’s question, Moxey said she had no knowledge of the specific $60,000 allocation Gibson referenced.