Turmoil continues to brew in Freeport as the Del Zotto family remains firm in its decision to shutter three businesses after alleging that the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) blocked it from purchasing raw materials at the Devonshire excavation site.
The potential loss of 130 jobs led to the prime minister speaking last week with the Del Zottos in the hope of dissuading them from pulling out.
The family announced on July 29 the plan to close all of the companies following an impasse with the Grand Bahama Development Company (DEVCO).
Gold Rock has said its issue lies with the GBPA.
“The decision to withdraw our investment in its entirety comes from years of witnessing the blatant disregard for the growth of this island by the GBPA,” the family said in a statement.
In a statement released last Monday, the GBPA called the closure of the Del Zotto family’s three businesses (Gold Rock, Do It Center, and Home Design Center) unfortunate and unnecessary.
Meanwhile, many in Grand Bahama are concerned about the impact the closures will have.
“This is really a sad moment for the residents of Grand Bahama and, by extension, for Bahamians, even Bahamians who are unaware of the potential negative impact of the closure of this group of companies,” said member of Parliament for Marco City and Leader of the Opposition Michael Pintard during a press conference on Friday morning on the grounds of Gold Rock, the island’s main source for concrete blocks and other building materials.
“We are disappointed that despite the forecasting of layoffs at this company that there was no intervention by members of the government relative to this matter. … The first time the prime minister appeared to be fully aware was a conversation that I had – first, with one of his ministers, then, by extension with him expressing the urgency.”
Pintard claimed that subsequent conversations with the group of companies were held by a senator, not the prime minister.
“The gravity of a potential loss of 130 jobs is a very serious matter that necessitates intervention from government at the highest level – the prime minister, at a minimum, senior ministers, who are able to engage the owners, and members of the Grand Bahama Port Authority,” he said.
Citing the noticeable tension between the Del Zotto family and GBPA, Pintard added, “If there’s general concern about the 130 families that are going to be affected, aside from those who have already been laid off, then all of us must make sure that cooler heads prevail in this discussion.”
Sharing Pintard’s concerns, local realtor and long-time resident of Grand Bahama James Sarles, of James Sarles Realty, noted that the most important thing is for all parties involved to come to an agreement.
“The Development Company (DEVCO), whose job it is to help develop the island, and the two parties (Gold Rock and GBPA), really need to come together to find a solution,” said Sarles, whose company was involved in the proposed 02 Resort in Freeport earlier this year.
“Everyone is entitled to have differences but the hardship of 100 families being put out of work, local contractors not having the ability to find block, the whole industry is upset, and it sends a very bad message to foreign investors.
“So, these are two private entities that need to sit down and figure out what’s best for the community and for the country and for each other. It shouldn’t have to come down to this.”
To make matters worse, many residents remain on alert as there are more than three months to go in what is predicted to be another active hurricane season.
“Remember, we’re recovering after the hurricane (Dorian),” Sarles said.
“We need concrete. We need blocks and the local suppliers are scrambling around not knowing where to go. A place like the Do It Center, and also the [Home] Design Center, it added a little class to Freeport showing growth.
“…We’re a growing society and this is infrastructure, this is precast [concrete].”
Local activist, Rotarian and owner of D’s Car Rental, Darren Cooper, expressed dissatisfaction with GBPA’s handling of the situation.
“As a business owner and as a resident of Grand Bahama, I am extremely disappointed in the behavior of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, extremely disappointed in the press release from the president of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, who is the regulator, city manager, of the city of Freeport,” Cooper said.
“Grand Bahama Port Authority issues licenses for us in the city to operate businesses. We have an agreement as a license holder with the Grand Bahama Port Authority, and there are some things that we are required to do and there are some things that the Grand Bahama Port Authority is required to do.
“I would say to the president of the Port Authority and to the executives, it’s now time for you guys to put aside petty behaviors and get busy working on behalf of Grand Bahama.
“Port Authority has carried the blame for the state of Grand Bahama for some time and has agreed, or has confessed, to doing better. This, what they’re doing now [with] the Del Zotto family, is not doing better; it’s doing the same thing that you have been doing – lack of investment and not protecting the investment that is here in Grand Bahama.”
Pastor Eddie Victor of Living Waters Assembly of God Church is also concerned.
Victor said the Port Authority could have handled the situation better, and the government should have gotten involved to figure out a better way to address it.
“What we saw develop with that whole Gold Rock enterprise is where a business is growing and growing, and it’s primarily foreign-owned, even though they’re hiring mostly Bahamians,” he said.
“The thing is, is that if we do not guard our industries for Bahamians, Bahamians will not move up into the bracket of economic empowerment.”
While admitting in a statement Friday that it “hurts tremendously to close these businesses,” the Del Zotto family continues to stand by its decision to shut down operations.