The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis addressed criticism of government’s approval of Royal Caribbean International’s $110m beach club project on Paradise Island.

He spoke yesterday to concerns from Save the Bays chairman Joseph Darville and Atlantis’ president and managing director Audrey Oswell on the RCI project.

For Mr Darville’s part, he questioned the environmental effects of the project. He had previously told The Tribune it is “undoubtable” that the massive project will have a serious impact on marine life, coral reefs, and native animals that nest in the area.

 Mr Davis said: “He has to understand what a deal is like. I mean, we ought to speak when we know all the facts. I will not be presiding over a decision that would lead to the consequences that he’s suggesting.

“What he has to appreciate is that RCL, Royal Caribbean, they already own several acres there – they’re developing on their own land. They’re asking for us to partner with them, with our land, to make the experience for the visitors more palatable and in that partnering the people of The Bahamas will not be left out.”

Meanwhile, Ms Oswell said there are “too many red flags” and unanswered questions relating to the cruise line’s planned Royal Beach Club destination.

She added she believed “the green light is premature, with so many unanswered questions regarding the project’s environmental and economic impact still to be addressed.”

The Prime Minister acknowledged her concerns but mentioned that certain elements are still being looked into.

“Her concerns are legitimate concerns and I think they are a bit ahead of themselves in the sense that those concerns will all be taken into account when the final decisions are made in respect to what the development would look like. They still have to go through the environmental process to determine what is environmentally friendly. That’s not my call — that is the Department of the Environmental Protection Agency,” he said.

“They will look at what (is proposed) and they will tell us about the environmental impact that the development will have and they will decide whether we’re going in that in that form or fashion.

“In respect to the other issues she raised, we’re all concerned about those issues. And until those are addressed properly, the project will... and this is what was communicated to her — they are speaking as though the decision has been made without these concerns being taken into account.”

 It was reported by The Nassau Guardian on Tuesday that officials are still considering Bahamian Toby Smith’s proposal.

 Both the cruise line and the government had been embroiled in a long-running battle, including in the Supreme Court, with Mr Smith who has asserted he has a binding lease for at least two Crown land acres that Royal Caribbean is seeking to use in its project.

 However, on February 16, Chief Justice Sir Ian Winder rejected the entrepreneur’s claim that his lease agreement is valid.

 Mr Davis revealed that Mr Smith contacted him.

 “Well, Toby Smith messaged me a couple of weeks ago and the court has ruled that he had no interest in the land. And I have invited him, if he is still interested, to reapply for consideration of the government of his project. So we await his application.”

 Asked if the government has an appetite for his project, Mr Davis answered: “I would not have told him to reapply if I didn’t have an appetite to consider it.”