Invitation to Save the Bahamas

[patw]

We invite you and anyone else who is concerned about the effects of these developments on the islands of the Bahamas to join us in Freeport. We are bringing together people from all over the Bahamas along with worldwide experts in marine biology and coral pathology to meet and discuss this situation. Please go to www.savethebahamas.org (http://www.savethebahamas.org) and view the invitation and make your reservations!!
Thank you!

[abacofever]

No Thanks. Sounds very self serving. I notice the the invite makes it a point to let everyone know that " you are steps away from 30 pubs and restruants" . I guess it's ok in Freeport. I wonder how many mangroves got plowed under to make those pubs.

[patw]

Self serving? This meeting has been in the planning stages for a very long time with Bahamians from all over the islands. There are people out there that are very concerned about all of the developments that are planned to destroy their way of life. Why is the idea of joining forces to discuss the effects of these developments, self serving?? We are trying to make it convenient for our guests who are
traveling on a limited budget by staying " steps away from 30 pubs and restaurants". We are staying at this resort because they offered us very good rates and a free place to have our meeting but most of all, they support what we are trying to do. It's a little surprising how closely you
studied the invitation for someone who's not interested!!


No Thanks. Sounds very self serving. I notice the the invite makes it a point to let everyone know that " you are steps away from 30 pubs and restruants" . I guess it's ok in Freeport. I wonder how many mangroves got plowed under to make those pubs.

[Bahamian]

There are people out there that are very concerned about all of the developments that are planned to destroy their way of life. I wonder if you could explain your statement, seems a little extreme. Also I would like to remind everyone that the current court battle is not enviromental, it is a legal one as to whether or not the government had the right, through the National Economic Council, to grant concessions and lease lands without going before the legislature.The only reason for an eviromental issue was that if the court ruled that this was unconstitutional then if the developer continued the land would be changed. On another issue concerning the conference, I would hope that this does not become a bashing seminar because the other 299,930 citizens of this country can not at this time afford to hear a sucking sound as developer money leaves this country. I am a firm beleiver that the economic model we rely on is not sustinable for the long term, but this is the path that we the voters have chosen at this time and we must be the ones to create the change. We live in a very economically fragile country that for years has relied on one big contract after another, we can not afford to just turn off the tap. Yes we need to change but it has to be done slowly if we open a pandoras box with regad to develpment then God help us because we Bahamians have no where else to go, this is our home, our first home

[CR]

"I am a firm beleiver that the economic model we rely on is not sustinable for the long term, but this is the path that we the voters have chosen at this time and we must be the ones to create the change."

At what point did Bahamian voters chose to destroy the environment to create a few low paying, dead end jobs?
Bahamians voted the PLP into power, but never voted to allow the destruction of the very thing that brings in the tourist and fisheries dollars needed to support the Bahamian economy.

"if we open a pandoras box with regard to develpment then God help us because we Bahamians have no where else to go, this is our home,first home"

Agreed: Bahamians have nowhere else to go. When Governments decide to give Crown Land to developers to sell at $1,000,000 per building lot -
how many Bahamians can afford $1,000,000 just for a building lot in their home - first home?

What will become of the fishermen, dive operators, and small Bahamian owned resorts when the environment is destroyed? Tourists come for the environment - fishing, diving, and beaching and the slow peacefull way of life in The Family Islands. When these things are gone - they are gone for good.
I guess that they can all clean rooms, or do lawn work for the resorts where they are not even welcome as guests.

R.

[val]

There are people out there that are very concerned about all of the developments that are planned to destroy their way of life. I wonder if you could explain your statement, seems a little extreme. Also I would like to remind everyone that the current court battle is not enviromental, it is a legal one as to whether or not the government had the right, through the National Economic Council, to grant concessions and lease lands without going before the legislature.The only reason for an eviromental issue was that if the court ruled that this was unconstitutional then if the developer continued the land would be changed. On another issue concerning the conference, I would hope that this does not become a bashing seminar because the other 299,930 citizens of this country can not at this time afford to hear a sucking sound as developer money leaves this country. I am a firm beleiver that the economic model we rely on is not sustinable for the long term, but this is the path that we the voters have chosen at this time and we must be the ones to create the change. We live in a very economically fragile country that for years has relied on one big contract after another, we can not afford to just turn off the tap. Yes we need to change but it has to be done slowly if we open a pandoras box with regad to develpment then God help us because we Bahamians have no where else to go, this is our home, our first home
good for you..... you know what you are talking about....

[patw]

The response for the "Save The Bahamas" meeting this coming weekend in
Freeport has been tremendous! As a result we have outgrown our previous
meeting space: The Ferry House restaurant. We will now be holding our
meeting on Saturday at Our Lucaya Resort (directly across the street
from the previous location). We have also expanded our meeting times to
8a.m. -5p.m., in an effort to accomodate the wide range of attendees and
speakers. There will be an optional lunch available (at a very
reasonable cost) or guests may choose to go elsewhere for lunch. We look
forward to seeing you this weekend beginning at Yellow Tails bar and
grill (at Pelican Bay resort) at 7:15 Friday evening for a casual meet
and greet. Reservations are still available at Pelican Bay resort and at
surrounding hotels. Thank You and See You There!

We invite you and anyone else who is concerned about the effects of these developments on the islands of the Bahamas to join us in Freeport. We are bringing together people from all over the Bahamas along with worldwide experts in marine biology and coral pathology to meet and discuss this situation. Please go to www.savethebahamas.org (http://www.savethebahamas.org) and view the invitation and make your reservations!!
Thank you!

[SamFamAustin]

I've talked with my parents (Dickies Cay) about this. My dad kinda threw his arms up in the air, like what could be do about it? Tourism and development was about the only "industry" except for some dwindling bugs and a little light industrial stuff on the big island.

But I do admire the spirit and tenacity of people like PatW. If I may use the younger generation's lingo: you rockl!

I am a member of a group called Save Isla Blanca Park here in lower Texas. There are many parallels. In our case the issue is whether a county government can grant a concession to a developer to put in casinos and condominiums in a 160-acre public park. While there are environmental and quality of life issues, the entire boondoggle is about whether the County has the right to grant such a concession in the first place, given that the original land title to the land was from the federal government and restricted to "recreational uses." The contracts, of which there are several, grants the Leassor private access, all riparian rights, violates the Open Beaches Act, and in effect closes down the entire park, which has attendance levels of up to 30,000 people per day in the high season. As we say in Texas, it is a "pure-D mess."

So yes, in a way I can feel your pain, and why in some cases something simply needs to be done. ;)

[patw]

Thanks Sam! I might not be born a Bahamian but I am married to one and I feel the same pain that he does in what is happening on Guana Cay. My husbands family goes back 7 generations on Guana Cay. Most of the people that post negatively to my posts don't live on Guana Cay. They don't see what was happening everyday over here. Employment opportunity comes up all the time as to why we need this development. BUT how many Bahamians will be employed? Can someone give a number? A percentage? With all the anchor developments planned for the Bahamas, where are these developers going to get all the Bahamians they promise they are going to employ???? Are Bahamians going to be employed in the management side or only as security, guides/greeters, landscaping, etc??? DLC has one Bahamian in top management. They didn't even use Bahamian surveyors. The engineer for the marina isn't Bahamian, he lives on Guana Cay right now. Are the local Bahamian real estate people selling the lots at Bakers? How much is the Bahamas gaining in duty or stamp taxes from all the vehicles, pleasure boats, construction materials???? So many questions.

Bahamian posted this: " Yes we need to change but it has to be done slowly if we open a pandoras box with regad to develpment then God help us because we Bahamians have no where else to go, this is our home, our first home"

My response is, yes we need change BUT how slow do you want to go???? Until the Bahamas looks like Miami Beach??? We have to start somewhere and this fight has been going on for over two years and we are still here and fighting. We WANT DEVELOPMENT, just not this one with a golf course and the marina as they have it planned.
Yes I know this is your home, your first home but guess what? This is my home now and I stand by my Bahamian husbands side in fighting for what he believes is wrong for our "home".
Perhaps Bahamian should come to Freeport and stand side by side with his fellow Bahamians and he/she will see that no one is against development. Its the 9,999 acres of Crown Land on Mayaguana, Athol Island's Sea Garden, Bimini's mangroves, Guana's Crown Land and potential reef destruction. We have to start somewhere and we hope that this meeting in Freeport will be a beginning, a strong voice.

[SamFamAustin]

PatW I'll send you a private message but I was reading in another newspaper in a completely different Island chain - to remember the "cottagers."

These are folks who over the years built tastefully-appointed buildings and businesses that blend in with the landscape. Yes, we are seeing some signs of "McMansions" and such, but I think when you talk Abaco, you're talking like 80% "cottagers."

Some live there permanent, many are second dwellings, but most all are simply precious. Heck, that's why I go there! Remember the cottagers, is what I say.