The government approved several projects during its final cabinet meeting yesterday, including an $80 million project for Cotton Bay, Eleuthera, and a $30 million project for Norman's Cay, Exuma, the prime minister revealed.
Reporters were allowed to sit in on the final Cabinet meeting of this term.
In addition to the Eleuthera and Exuma projects, the government also agreed to purchase additional equipment for the police force and supplies for public schools throughout the country and to undertake a small infrastructural project in Long Island.
Tourism Minister Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace said the Cotton Bay development is something that has been a long time coming.
"It will assist in establishing Eleuthera on the tourism map," he said during the meeting held in the Churchill Building.
"What we recognize is that some of these brands bring a lot of focus to the individual islands of The Bahamas which is a part of the government's continuing campaign in talking about the individual islands of The Bahamas and this will add immensely to that thrust."
Ingraham added that the project will require the government to make investments on that island.
"The government will have to make some public investments in the airport and the road and to get water and electricity to the site to permit them to operate their own sewerage plant and to redirect the public road so it doesn't sit in the middle of their property," Ingraham said.
The project, which will sit on 300 acres of land, will include an 80-room resort, golf course, spa, shopping area, restaurant and bar.
While the government would not reveal who the developer is, Vanderpool-Wallace said the operator is consistent with high-end boutiques and has a very recognizable brand.
As it relates to the Norman's Cay project, Ingraham said the work should start "pretty soon".
The developers propose to construct three "very recognized boutique properties" on the island, Vanderpool-Wallace said.
"We are excited about that because it'll be the third drug property that was very prominent in the commission of inquiry in the 1980s while the PLP was in office that the FNM has now put to be used for productive economic lawful, legal, legitimate use," said Ingraham, noting that the government has done the same in Guana Cay, Abaco, and Hawks Nest, Cat Island.
"They were all drug havens in the 80s," Ingraham said.
Vanderpool-Wallace said as a part of that deal, the developer has agreed to upgrade the airport.
The investment is being funded by a Turkish group.
In regards to the Long Island project, Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Larry Cartwright said the government has agreed to award a contract to a Long Island company for the extension of the water mains from Grays to Thompson Bay.
He said the contract will be signed in short order.
"This will be meaningful to the people of Salt Pond where there is no running water supplied by the government or by Water and Sewerage," he said, adding that it will bring relief to those residents.
The project is expected to cost $400,000.
The government also agreed to buy five new fire engines for the police force.
National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest said three are for New Providence and two are for Grand Bahama.
The trucks include a 2,000 gallon single cab tanker, two 1,000 gallon double cab pumpers and two 1,000 gallon single cab pumpers.
Turnquest said the total contract is for $1.28 million
Finally, the government agreed to purchase hundreds of computers that will be placed in schools across The Bahamas.
Education Minister Desmond Bannister said the government will spend $2 million on 802 desktops, 339 laptops with the appropriate education software, 333 interactive software and 340 multi-media projectors.
Asked if the government put measures in place to protect such agreements if it were to lose the election, Ingraham said that is not possible.
"No government can bind another government," he said.
"A government when it comes to office has the opportunity to determine whether or not it considers a matter to be in the best interest of the country or whether it's a matter that is a priority for them. So there's nothing you can..put in place to prevent it."
He added: "We are undertaking what we consider to be in the best interest of The Bahamas. But we are confident that we are going to be the government next week."
FNM MPs also said goodbye to some of their colleagues who will not be a part of the cabinet if the FNM wins, including Minister of the Environment Dr. Earl Deveuax, Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Larry Cartwright and Attorney General John Delaney.
"They will definitely not be in the next government of the Free National Movement," Ingraham noted.

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