business@tribunemedia.net
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
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‘You bank on BPL being dreadful, but not always’ BY NEIL HARTNELL AND ANNELIA NIXON TRIBUNE Business Reporters AN OUTSPOKEN businessman says Bahamas Power & Light’s (BPL) latest woes have cost his company “at least $100,000” in generator repairs and related expenses, as he blasted: “You bank on BPL being dreadful, but not all the time.” Dionisio D’Aguilar, Superwash’s principal, told Tribune Business that when he entered the laundromat industry “I didn’t think I’d also have to go into the generator business”. He revealed that, of his 12 locations, two are presently exposed without generators because one “failed completely” while another is “running hot” because BPL’s more frequent and extended outages have imposed greater “strain” due to their extra use. Asserting that it is “impossible to operate a business in The Bahamas” without generators, the former minister of tourism and aviation in the Minnis administration’s Cabinet said his business is far from alone in having back-up power difficulties as “everyone is screaming for parts from their suppliers” due to increased wear and tear on their generators. Describing both energy supply, and just operating a business in The
Outages hit Superwash with ‘at least $100k’ in extra costs
Generators failing, under ‘strain’ due to more and longer use
DIONISIO D’AGUILAR Bahamas, as “a major nightmare”, Mr D’Aguilar told this newspaper that his days are increasingly “consumed by generator problems, power problems and electrical equipment failures” due to the escalating unreliability of BPL’s supply - outages combined with “dips, spikes, swings and surges” that damage key assets and cause their failure. And, with the Davis administration’s much-touted energy reforms
Not in Bahamas ‘best interest’ for developer to lot-sell Gov’t land BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A FORMER Bahamas National Trust (BNT) chief yesterday argued it is not in The Bahamas’ “best interests” to allow a US developer to obtain 100 acres of Government land at Eleuthera’s Navy Beach for lot sales to ERIC CAREY finance his development plans. Eric Carey, now an environmental consultant who lives on Eleuthera, told Tribune Business that Jeff Jacobs, chairman and chief executive of Jacobs Investments, will likely “run into a problem” and opposition if he follows through with plans to acquire and use that land for lot sales - a portion of which will finance power, water and affordable housing upgrades, in addition to a proposed infrastructure public-private partnership (PPP) with the Government. He added that it would be “very strange” if the Davis administration were to sell or lease, or approve the use of the 100-acre tract for that purpose, especially given that during his last conversation with Clay Sweeting, the central and south Eleuthera MP, whose constituency also includes Governor’s Harbour, the latter had signalled he was not in favour of Mr Jacobs “leveraging” Crown Land to benefit the proposed 600-acre J Resort project. Mr Carey told this newspaper that many Governor’s Harbour and Eleuthera residents are opposed to Crown Land being involved in Mr Jacobs’ project, which is pledging to create 200 construction and 500 permanent jobs from a $650m development - which has yet to be approved by the Government - where $450m, or 69 percent, is to be financed via real estate pre-sales.
RAISE - See Page B4
Tour operator: ‘We catching hell’ and ‘losing money from this’
failing to deliver relief and improvements for Bahamian households and businesses in the short-term, he demanded that the Government “stop selling a story” and instead divert all available resources and state agencies to “fix the problem” so that New Providence receives reliable power supply “99 percent of the time”. Calling on the Government to find the necessary funding by reducing travel, and seeking savings elsewhere in its Budget, Mr D’Aguilar argued that The Bahamas’ ambitions to attain - and be seen - as a “first world class country” will never be achieved unless it resolves the long-standing weaknesses caused by power being too expensive, too unreliable and too dirty. Speaking after last Wednesday’s island-wide New Providence outage, the Superwash chief - who was temporarily off-island - said: “My people say it’s a disaster; the power going on
POWER - See Page B6
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Developer’s 30% lot sales promise on Eleuthera PPP Plan includes selling, dividing 100-acres of Gov’t land Jacobs says monies for affordable housing, better utilities Pledges 100-acre solar farm; no impact for island’s ‘vibe’ BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A US developer is pledging that 30 percent of the proceeds from residential lot sales, including 100 acres of Government-owned land, will be devoted to solving central Eleuthera’s power, water and affordable housing woes as well as underwriting an up to $50m infrastructure partnership. Jeff Jacobs, chairman and chief executive of Jacobs Investments, and head of its Jacobs Entertainment affiliate, unveiled his latest development proposals in separate June and endJuly 2026 updates issued to Governor’s Harbour and Eleuthera residents while promising to Tribune Business that “the vibe and environmental sensitivity” of the historic settlement will not alter.
Speaking ahead of what he billed as a “master plan concept meeting” with local residents next Thursday, August 13, the US gaming, hospitality and development principal is proposing a public-private partnership (PPP) between Jacobs Entertainment and the Bahamian government to address the area’s utility and housing shortfalls, plus upgrade roadways and beach access. Mr Jacobs confirmed to this newspaper his company is proposing to finance this PPP via an up to $50m “interest free loan” from capital it will raise during its “next round of financing” with lenders and investors over 2027-2028. His latest message to Eleuthera residents, dated July 31, 2026, suggests that Jacobs Entertainment’s loan will be repaid from the proceeds
PROPOSAL - See Page B7
Rival group urges Potter’s Cay marina plan rejection BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A RIVAL Bahamian group is arguing that the 25-slip marina proposed for a Nassau harbourfront site just west of Potter’s Cay dock should be rejected because it does not represent the most valuable or strategic use of that location. Franklyn Robinson, president of LanQi Global Development Company, told Tribune Business that the planned Blu Cay Marina - for which a public consultation was held last week - should
not be allowed to “supersede” his group’s vision for the same site which involves completely reimagining Potter’s Cay to separate the ‘fish dry’ element from mail boat shipping through reclaiming and repurposing land between the two Paradise Island bridges. While the ‘fish fry’ would be moved east to by the Sir Sidney Poitier ‘on’ bridge, together with a 700-space visitor parking lot, the mail boat and Family Island shipping, cargo and logistics business - according to renderings produced by
OPTIONS - See Page B8
No ‘rubber stamp’ eyed for ex-Club Med site’s revival BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN-LED group yesterday pledged its redevelopment of Governor’s Harbour’s former Club Med property will produce a “low density” five-star project featuring 40-60 resort suites and villas while reassuring residents it is not seeking their “rubber stamp”. Myles Ahead, which is headed by Bahamian businessman Anthony Myers, the Bahamas Hot Mix chairman and founder, and James Lyle, founder of Lyford Cay-based investment management firm, Fulmar Advisors, in response to Tribune Business inquiries said its plans have not been finalised and it is seeking formal community input at this Thursday’s Town Hall meeting with residents. Describing the planned development, as a boutique five-star resort and residential
community at the former Club Med site that has been abandoned for more than 26 years since Hurricane Floyd’s passage in 1999, Myles Ahead said: “The project is intended to return a long-dormant property to productive use while creating lasting opportunities for the people and businesses of Central Eleuthera. “Current planning reflects a preliminary construction estimate of several hundred million covering a proposed low-density development on roughly 93 acres, and presently includes approximately 40 to 60 resort suites and villas, together with a private residences component with supporting hospitality, wellness, recreation and service facilities. The development remains subject to public input, government approvals, final design, procurement and construction planning.” The Central Bank last November described the Myles Ahead
RESTORE - See Page B9
CHARLES TOWNE POTTER’S CAY REDEVELOPMENT