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Prime Minister Davis optimistic about Grand Bahama’s next chapter, after Tribunal Ruling

Thu, Mar 12th 2026, 11:37 AM
Politics

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Philip Davis says the Tribunal Ruling concerning the arbitration between the Government of The Bahamas and the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) over the governance and future of Freeport has shifted the balance of power and created new leverage for the Government.

“We have a lot of work to do together because the Tribunal ruling has left a lot of opportunities for Grand Bahama and we know the kind of Grand Bahama we can build — all of us,” he said.

Prime Minister Davis’ remarks came during a Town Hall Meeting at the Belinda Wilson Convention Centre on March 9, 2026 to clear the air on the recent Tribunal ruling when he explained that the next phase of the legal process following the judgement is to move into negotiations to determine the annual payments owed under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement (HCA).

In bringing clarification to the Government’s claim regarding what the GBPA owed to them, Prime Minister Davis said the GBPA had insisted they had no liability.

“They were saying they had no liability. They rejected the claim; they had no liability; they owe the government nothing and we were not entitled to be reimbursed anything. But then the result was the Tribunal ruled yes, there is liability and it ain’t just for now, it will be until the end of the HCA in 2054,” he said.

Prime Minister Davis said the goal now is to work with residents, businesses and stakeholders to build a stronger economy and create a future where the development of Grand Bahama truly benefits the people who live and work there.
 He noted that when the Hawksbill Creek Agreement was signed in 1955, the GBPA was given 150,000 acres of land, sweeping tax concessions and a lot of authority to develop the city.

In return, Prime Minister Davis said, the GBPA was obligated to build the infrastructure, attract investment, provide services and grow the local economy – not only for its shareholders, but for the people of Grand Bahama and The Bahamas.

With the issues between both parties clarified, the Government believes Grand Bahama can now move forward with greater certainty over governance in Freeport and, the prime minister noted, the Government will negotiate in good faith while being clear-eyed about the leverage it has gained.

“We are open to negotiating rather than litigating. We started on this by negotiating. Because a genuine change of ownership, as was noted by Mr. Gape, and a real development commitment for Grand Bahama would serve this island better than any more legal conference,” he said.

Cognizant of Grand Bahama’s potential, with one of the finest deep-water harbours in the Western Hemisphere; thousands of acres of undeveloped land; its proximity to the United States that no other Caribbean jurisdiction can match; a skilled, resilient workforce and a foundation for a world-class logistics and industrial hub, the prime minister said what has long been wanting is a governance structure that works in the public interest that gives Bahamians a voice.

“Now we can finally implement a long-term economic plan covering shipping, logistics, industry, tourism, real estate and innovation,” he said.

“The old story — the one where an entity claimed to be beyond Bahamian law, collected fees from everyone in this room and then demanded a billion dollars from the Bahamian taxpayer for the inconvenience of being governed — that story is over.”

The focus now, Prime Minister Davis added, is on building a very bright future, together, while pointing out that the licensees who have built businesses in Freeport also belong at the table where the next chapter is written to shape Grand Bahama’s future.

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Philip Davis says the Tribunal Ruling concerning the arbitration between the Government of The Bahamas and the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) over the governance and future of Freeport has shifted the balance of power and created new leverage for the Government.
“We have a lot of work to do together because the Tribunal ruling has left a lot of opportunities for Grand Bahama and we know the kind of Grand Bahama we can build — all of us,” he said.
Prime Minister Davis’ remarks came during a Town Hall Meeting at the Belinda Wilson Convention Centre on March 9, 2026 to clear the air on the recent Tribunal ruling when he explained that the next phase of the legal process following the judgement is to move into negotiations to determine the annual payments owed under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement (HCA).
In bringing clarification to the Government’s claim regarding what the GBPA owed to them, Prime Minister Davis said the GBPA had insisted they had no liability.
“They were saying they had no liability. They rejected the claim; they had no liability; they owe the government nothing and we were not entitled to be reimbursed anything. But then the result was the Tribunal ruled yes, there is liability and it ain’t just for now, it will be until the end of the HCA in 2054,” he said.
Prime Minister Davis said the goal now is to work with residents, businesses and stakeholders to build a stronger economy and create a future where the development of Grand Bahama truly benefits the people who live and work there.
 
He noted that when the Hawksbill Creek Agreement was signed in 1955, the GBPA was given 150,000 acres of land, sweeping tax concessions and a lot of authority to develop the city.
In return, Prime Minister Davis said, the GBPA was obligated to build the infrastructure, attract investment, provide services and grow the local economy – not only for its shareholders, but for the people of Grand Bahama and The Bahamas.
With the issues between both parties clarified, the Government believes Grand Bahama can now move forward with greater certainty over governance in Freeport and, the prime minister noted, the Government will negotiate in good faith while being clear-eyed about the leverage it has gained.
“We are open to negotiating rather than litigating. We started on this by negotiating. Because a genuine change of ownership, as was noted by Mr. Gape, and a real development commitment for Grand Bahama would serve this island better than any more legal conference,” he said.
Cognizant of Grand Bahama’s potential, with one of the finest deep-water harbours in the Western Hemisphere; thousands of acres of undeveloped land; its proximity to the United States that no other Caribbean jurisdiction can match; a skilled, resilient workforce and a foundation for a world-class logistics and industrial hub, the prime minister said what has long been wanting is a governance structure that works in the public interest that gives Bahamians a voice.
“Now we can finally implement a long-term economic plan covering shipping, logistics, industry, tourism, real estate and innovation,” he said.
“The old story — the one where an entity claimed to be beyond Bahamian law, collected fees from everyone in this room and then demanded a billion dollars from the Bahamian taxpayer for the inconvenience of being governed — that story is over.”
The focus now, Prime Minister Davis added, is on building a very bright future, together, while pointing out that the licensees who have built businesses in Freeport also belong at the table where the next chapter is written to shape Grand Bahama’s future.
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