NASSAU, The Bahamas – During his remarks at the Signing of a Desalination Contract between the Water and Sewerage Corporation and Consolidated Water (Bahamas) Ltd. for two desalination plants for Cat Island, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis said, on September 10, 2024, that it marked the start of an “extraordinary” new chapter for Cat Island.  

“With the signing of this Heads of Agreement (HOA) with Consolidated Water, we set in motion the design, construction, and operation of two desalination plant facilities in Cat Island – as you have heard, one at New Bight in the South, and the other at Bennett’s Harbour in the North,” he said.  He added that the agreement was a “much-welcomed extension” of the infrastructural upgrades he oversaw as Minister of Works and Utilities in 2016.  At that time, he noted, three million dollars’ worth of funding from the Caribbean Development Bank was put toward the installation of eleven miles of new water mains and about 300 service connections. 

“Now, after four years of stagnancy during the previous administration, this government is continuing water upgrades through the ongoing Cat Island Road Paving and Public Infrastructure Public Private Partnership (PPP) Project,” Prime Minister Davis stated.  “Already, we have allocated over $32 million to install 95 miles of new water mains and 800 service connections in Cat Island.  I am pleased to share that these works are well underway, with final completion slated for early 2026.”    

(BIS Photos/Eric Rose)