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Last Updated: Feb 6, 2017 - 2:32:04 PM |
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Blue Marlin Cove officially reopens in West End, Grand Bahama. Photo: Derek Carroll Photography, Freeport
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WEST END, Grand Bahama Island - The Blue Marlin Cove resort reopened today with a formal ceremony assisted by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. The director of ceremony was Sanique Culmer of the Grand Bahama Ministry of Tourism office. An invocation was given by Bishop Arnold Pinder and all were welcomed by resort owners Joe Rieger and Frank Levy. A ribbon cutting took place and remarks were given by resort manager, Marvin Roberts. West End Primary school gave cultural performances and the event closed with entertainment by Lil' Joe Cartwright and The Trouble Band.
Remarks were given by the Bahamas Minister of Tourism, Obie Wilchcombe, the Grand Bahama Minister, Dr. Michael Darville, and the Rt Hon Perry G. Christie, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
The following are the official remarks by the Prime Minister:
I am delighted to be here in West End, Grand Bahama to participate in this ceremony which marks the transformation and official opening of The Blue Marlin Cove into a condo-hotel.
Built originally as 30 condominium units, the renovated property will now include 60 room hotel suites, restaurant, recreation centre, health and beauty spa, conference space and the existing 18 slip dock and marina. The capital investment in the resort to date by its principals Mr. Brian F. LeBourgeois and Mr. Frank Levy amounts to some $10 million, with an additional $2 million likely.
This boutique hotel will cater to a mixture of guests including fishing and boating enthusiasts, businessmen attracted by West End world famous fishing grounds and their families. Blue Marlin Cove will also be marketed as a high tech and comfortable location where busy executives can unwind or attend conventions and enhance their professional skills through the use of distance learning Technology.
Additional employment and entrepreneurial opportunities are being created for Bahamians, especially residents of West End in the capital works being carried out and in the operation of the resort.
This official opening affords me the opportunity to assure the people of Grand Bahama that my Government is focused on a number of initiatives to revive, grow and sustain the economy of Grand Bahama. I am acutely aware that the people of Grand Bahama elected my Government to office because you believed that we are best suited to accomplish this tremendous task. Towards this end I created a Ministry for Grand Bahama headed by Honourable Dr. Michael Darville, the M.P. for Pineridge constituency to focus solely on Grand Bahama affairs. Additionally I appointed The Honourable Obediah Wilchcombe, the Member of Parliament for West End and Bimini constituency as Minister of Tourism to fire up tourism as the main engine of our economy.
Under my personal directions these two ministers along with their other Ministerial colleagues are giving priority to the needs of Grand Bahama. We are engaged each day with existing Bahamians and non Bahamian enterprises as well as prospective new investors in creating the environment and introducing measures to stimulate the economy of Grand Bahama. In the coming weeks and months these unceasing efforts are expected to create significant new jobs.
Our greatest challenge to growth and to attract new investment are high energy and operating costs throughout The Bahamas. My Government is considering in this regard, a number of proposals and engaging in studies to address these issues. They are of paramount importance to successfully competing with other countries and achieving the kind of major and sustained economic growth that will create sufficient jobs and enterprises for our growing population. Towards this end we invite private sector interests to become engaged in a major public/private sector initiative which could transform The Bahamas and usher in unprecedented economic opportunities.
I expect to return to Grand Bahama at an early date to speak further to these economic initiatives.
Again, I wish to congratulate the owners of Blue Marlin Cove and wish them and the West End community a long and prosperous relationship.
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