The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

FEARS are mounting that because of the continuing neglect of the iconic and historic Nassau lighthouse, the landmark which gives cruise ship visitors their first impression of the capital will not be in a fit state to see its 200th anniversary this year.

Despite several pleas for extensive refurbishments and maintenance, the ravages of time, weather and - most recently - Hurricane Matthew have left the Hog Island “gateway” lighthouse in sorry decline with its bicentenary approaching on September 1.

With reports noting broken window panes in the gallery, chipped wood and a severe lack of paint, The Tribune contacted all the departments that hold varying levels of responsibility for the site. The upkeep of lighthouses around The Bahamas is managed through a partnership between the Port Department, Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the Antiquities, Monuments and Museums Corporation (AMMC). But due to this complex arrangement between the three government units, maintenance and repairs are often delayed or not carried out at all.

To date, only AMMC officials have offered a response, with executives indicating that internal discussions have been planned to determine how best to proceed with respect to the lighthouse’s upkeep and commemoration.

In 2015, The Tribune published an article that highlighted ongoing issues at the historic property. In that article, Michael Pateman, Senior Archaeologist at the AMMC, acknowledged that the condition of the lighthouses across the country had been left in limbo in recent years due to government oversight. However, he insisted that the government was working to rectify the matter.

At the time, he projected that it would cost millions to properly maintain the various Bahamas lighthouses, adding that the government wanted to do institute a system that ensured upkeep and maintenance, but needed to organise it.

“They are trying to create a national plan which will aim to prioritise the historic lighthouses around the country,” Mr Pateman told The Tribune.

“A sub-committee was established by Transport Minister Glenys Hanna Martin in 2013 or 2014, after the automation of the Inagua lighthouse in 2012. That committee was crafted to enhance the way historical lighthouses are treated. They are working on a plan to refocus these monuments to become revenue generating properties. If that is achieved then the properties themselves could assist with the expenses associated with running them.”

Within weeks of his comments, several initiatives were set in motion to have repairs carried out on the lighthouse. Those actions were welcomed by local historian and author Ronald Lightbourn, who told The Tribune following the 2015 repairs, “Whatever department of government is responsible for the work now done, it is to be thanked and encouraged.”

Responsibility for the light and general upkeep of the site lies with the Defence Force, through the Ministry of National Security. The Port Department, through the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, is responsible for the human resources management with regard to the lighthouse keepers. The AMMC, through the Office of the Prime Minister, is responsible for the overall maintenance of the 12 historic lighthouses in the Bahamas.

But recently, Mr Lightbourn has again reached out to The Tribune, calling for attention to be given to this beloved monument, one of the oldest lighthouses in the western hemisphere.

“Nassau lighthouse, the signpost of the Port of Nassau, continues its sorry decline,” Mr Lightbourn said. “Three complete banks of window glass are missing. It is difficult to imagine how the gallery survived Hurricane Matthew. Remember this is the first sight which arriving and departing cruise ship passengers have of our historic and beautiful lighthouse, soon to become a dilapidated wreck unless someone comes to its rescue.”

“The Government should be preparing now for the 200th anniversary of its first lighting on the evening of September 1, 1817 (see complete story in Paul Albury’s 1984 Paradise Island Story). Fascinating stories abound about the lighthouse, the most memorable being from an eye witness of the 1866 hurricane, “when the ocean rolled completely over Hog Island into the harbour in surges so enormous that the crests of the waves were level with the gallery of the lighthouse, sixty feet above the sea.” Governor Rawson reported, “The lantern of the lighthouse was broken and most of the lamps and reflectors destroyed or seriously damaged.”

Mr Lightbourn said that Paul Albury had written in 1984, “With no maintenance the lighthouse is fast becoming a sorry sight. It badly needs painting and its windows, frequently unfastened, swing freely with the changing winds. The curious walk through it at will, as if they were exploring an old castle”.

He added: “The shutters and front door on which Albury commented on have now broken free of the building and been washed out to sea.”