NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper recently boasted of full employment on the island of Exuma, stating that the island's future has "never been more promising."

Cooper, the Exuma and Ragged Island MP and Minister of Tourism, Aviation, and Investments, told the Exuma Business Outlook that The Bahamas' brand remains strong, with Exuma playing a critical role as a tourism and investment destination. 

According to Cooper, Exuma's economy is strong, driven by tourism and foreign direct investment projects, particularly in the cays. Cooper urged Exumians to rise to the occasion and capitalize on the various economic opportunities.  

"We have full employment on the island of Exuma. We have a shortage of employees on the island of Exuma," Cooper noted. "Right the developments in the cays need to hire 400-500 construction workers and they have got nowhere to live or eat," said Cooper.

"We need Exumians to rise to the occasion. The harvest in Exuma is plentious but the laborers are not so plentious. We have to fix this. We need all leaders to rise to the occasion to help us drive the growth we are seeing on the island of Exuma."

Cooper noted that much-needed investments in airport facilities, roads, and utilities are underway. "We want to ensure that the growth we are seeing in Exuma, that we put the infrastructure in place to ensure that this happens in other islands of the Bahamas. I am aware of the many challenges with utilities in Exuma, mainly telephone services, cable services, electricity services, and water services. We have gotten quite frankly caught behind the eight ball in terms of the development of this island. This investment must continue, and we must continue to work diligently to resolve these issues."

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