Paradise Island Lighthouse & Beach Club Co. Ltd publicly thanks Prime Minister “Brave” Davis for representing the Bahamas at COP26. We sincerely hope the actions are exemplified and a herculean effort measures up to the commitments expressed. We know the Prime Minister to be a man of his word and fast to act in addressing matters with urgency and the environment will significantly benefit with the Prime Minister’s strong leadership.
We also express gratitude to “Protect Our Islands Fund” for their environmental campaign in opposition to Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s proposed Beach Club on Paradise Island. We appreciate them joining us at the front of the battlefield. We have the support of Protect Our Islands Fund, ReEarth, Save The Bays, The Bahamas National Trust, Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society, Nassau Pilot Boat Association and thankfully the Bahamian people at large.
The former Prime Minister rushed through an alleged deal with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and was subsequently ousted for such malfeasance and his lack of regard for Bahamians complicit in disregarding the matter before the Supreme Court of The Bahamas. All of this, while not listening to his (former) Minister of the Environment referred to the cruise lines as saying “They treat our waters and our country like a toilet.”
Clear wanton disregard demonstrated by cruise lines for the very environment in which they operate and want to exploit. When things go south and the destruction is done they can easily pull anchor and move to another target, leaving Bahamians to live in a mess.
Please also see attached the Cruise Line score card, statistics that the cruise industry would rather keep secret, having even plead guilty to massive environmental destruction.
Some might brag having five megaships docked in Nassau Harbour at the same time, however, very little is spoken by them with regards to their air pollution, discharge of ocean pollutants with such vigor much less the concentration of destroying our beautiful natural environment. It goes beyond this though, as they find new ways to circumvent actually doing what needs to be done. Using our pristine water to “scrub” their smoke stacks: The cruise lines will spin the narrative to say they have reduced their air pollution emissions, meanwhile they are merely gathering air pollution by fouling good water and pumping the pollution out into our ocean and walk away like they’ve done something marvelous. They make grandiose pledges for thirty years in the future, The Bahamas needs action now, not decades in the future when the cruise lines will arrive at blaming everyone else. If cruise lines are not prepared to make substantive changes now, on our terms, for the benefit of all Bahamians, then keep out of our waters until such time as they are prepared to respect our natural environment. Some cruise lines are putting their pledges into action in some regards and we welcome positive contributions of meaningful change.
Bahamians are tired of being trodden on, both by a tyrannical oppressor of yesteryear, who cannot read the billboards of unpopularity. We are also tired of foreign corporations exploiting the natural environment of the Bahamas and the Bahamian people while attempting to convince us this foul pollution is good for us.
They spin numbers trying to convince Bahamians their projects are good with economic numbers however, when the spin is removed, we know that approximately 85% of the revenues is exported before it even touches Bahamian’s pockets. We also know that cruise lines keep their casinos open while at the dock, seek massive incentives and concessions that Bahamians cannot and will not get.
In the light of protecting the environment Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines are attempting to stampede over the western portion of Paradise Island where we have already been granted a lease. We have filed a Writ in the Supreme Court and made sure both the previous government and RCL have a copy of same, and yet they continue their land grab attempt for Bahamian Crown Land. RCL made the commitment to purchase the Grand Lucayan Hotel in 2019 and made Bahamians foot the bill of tens of millions of dollars for their indecision for years. Believing Bahamians to be gullible and foolish, RCL now want us to believe they will be bringing the solution to The Bahamas’ woes as they wish to squeeze every penny of revenue for their own fat pockets and export it out of the country.
Paradise Island Lighthouse & Beach Club has pledged from day one to be an all-Bahamian project, one that has to pass the simple litmus test of “Is this best for the Bahamas and is this best for Bahamians” and we have lived up to our commitment.
RCL wishes to strong arm Bahamians, force pollution down our throats, into our lungs, take revenues out of our country and leave us with the dregs, pollution and trash and somehow spin it in some ludicrous manner to say it’s a good thing for our country.
The Prime Minister of the Bahamas has publicly declared that any deal done with RCL for Crown Land on Paradise Island will be cancelled. We welcome the wisdom expressed by the Grand Lucayan board of directors that the Heads of Agreement done by the past Prime Minister with RCL does not have their support with a unanimous “cut them loose” position. What also brings hope is this position being pressed further by Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper in citing the Grand Lucayan deal “egregiously bad”. We hear our new leadership loud and clear, it is a “New Day” government and one that looks out for Bahamians. This is the perfect opportunity to show the world what Bahamians can achieve on a world stage when afforded the opportunity and we believe this to be the case with this government.
We look forward to The Government of The Bahamas’ sincere commitment to making changes for the benefit of The Bahamas’ fragile environment and to look out for the best interest of Bahamians. We appreciate this publicly expressed sentiment and look forward to Paradise Island Lighthouse & Beach Club breaking ground in 2021 as a low impact, sustainable project, working in harmony with nature, practicing safe environmental measures and setting an example of corporate responsible business practices for the benefit, not detriment, of our beautiful country. We believe this is a golden opportunity for the Government of The Bahamas to showcase a Bahamian success story and inspire others to keep trying.
May the light shine on…….
