NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Yntegra Group has received approval from the Black Point Community Development & Regatta Association to move ahead with the construction and completion of the Black Point Community Center.
For residents, this marks a significant step forward. The community has long sought a dedicated space that can serve both as a gathering place and as a properly certified hurricane shelter. At present, Black Point relies on churches during storms, with capacity for fewer than 200 people—about half of the population. The new center is expected to be the largest facility of its kind in the Exumas and will be built to withstand Category 5 hurricane conditions, based on the recently established shelter in Abaco.
Beyond storm protection, the building is intended to serve as a central hub for the settlement. Community meetings, youth activities and other gatherings have largely been limited to the school. Residents have consistently expressed the need for a space designed specifically to bring people together.
Deangelo Brown, President of the Black Point Community Development & Regatta Association, stated:
“The center has been a priority for us for many years because right now we don’t have a place for our young people to go to or for people to gather in, except for the school. Every community needs a place for people to get together. We gave Yntegra the green light because they have shown a consistent willingness to listen to us and they have shown us that they are genuinely committed to Black Point. This partnership is built on mutual respect and a shared goal of making our community stronger in the long term. We trust Yntegra to deliver this community center and we are looking forward to getting started as soon as possible.”
Yntegra Chief Executive Felipe MacLean expressed his gratitude:
“For us, this has never been a question of if, but when. The direction set at the national level has made it clear that local communities must benefit from development. We are proud to move forward in a way that aligns with that vision and are incredibly thankful for the continuous support of the people of Black Point and for the trust the Association has placed in us to deliver something so vital to their daily lives and safety. This is more than just a building; the community center will impact the lives of families in Black Point and create jobs. It is the heart of our ongoing commitment to a long-term partnership that ensures everyone benefits from our project in a meaningful way. We are grateful to the Association and the Government for working together to move this initiative forward.”
The facility will be 100 percent community-owned, with Yntegra neither owning nor operating the building, ensuring it remains an asset of the residents. The company has indicated that heavy equipment will be moved to the site to enable efficient progress and that local hiring will be prioritized, creating immediate job opportunities for Black Point residents to help build their own community’s future. Recruitment of construction workers is expected to begin immediately, with a dedicated hiring manager supporting interested residents from Black Point.
Yntegra says it remains committed to moving the project forward, maintaining that essential community infrastructure should not be stalled. For Black Point, the approval signals the start of a long-anticipated project aimed at strengthening safety, opportunity and community life for years to come.
