EDITOR, The Tribune
Those Disney people have come into Eleuthera the way the Bay Street Boys used to come in at election time in the bad old days.
I attended the Disney-managed “town hall meeting” in Green Castle where the Prime Minister listened and spoke about the proposed development of Lighthouse Point. The place was packed with people who, it is claimed, had been given $20 and a fluorescent Disney T-shirt to attend - $50 if they had a car to meet Dr Minnis at the airport.
I am old enough to remember the elections in the 1960s when the UBP bought votes for re-election with four shillings and a bottle of rum. The poor people on Eleuthera at that time blamed the whites for their poverty - not realising that, in having the vote, they could change things for themselves if they took control of the government instead of taking the bribe. It needed the 1967 election–in which my (white) parents voted PLP– to start to change things.
Most of those people at the Green Castle meeting treated Disney like a Cargo Cult – when that boat comes in, Hallelujah!, all our problems will be solved! They are absolutely wrong.
First, it will not solve any problems – there are already two private cruise ports in the area, at Princess Cay and Half Moon Cay. If those two haven’t made the local people rich, they should recognise that a third won’t help. The private cruise ports contribute almost nothing to the local economy. They are foreign-owned companies, designed to suck as much cash out of the islands as possible. Disney doesn’t love you, people! It is buying you, and the going rate is $20 and a T-shirt.
Second, Disney is operating by a questionable process. If it’s prepared to pay cash for your noisy support, we wonder how much it might pay for the support of the actual decision-makers and politicians? You may say “This has always been a part of Bahamian life” (and that’s a shameful answer!) However, if this is so, Disney is taking a huge risk sailing in these dangerous waters, because it is subject to the Corrupt Foreign Practices Act of the United States, enforced by both the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Justice. Disney would face enormous fines should it even try to bribe decision-makers – there are now questionable rumours flying up and down Eleuthera.
Third, there is a far better local alternative for the development of Lighthouse Point which will provide more jobs for Bahamians, at far better pay, and with the support of local training programmes. These already run at the Centre for Training and Innovation in Rock Sound, providing trades training in the hospitality and construction industries and developing business skills for young entrepreneurs.
If the Lighthouse Point Partners win the deal, then all the land will be returned to the people of the Bahamas, and all the jobs will be Bahamian, and all the revenue will stay on the island.
So those people who took the $20 should be ashamed to wear the Disney T-shirt. It is my opinion that those T-shirts dishonour the bravery and integrity of their parents and grandparents, who stood up against the Bay Street Boys and the threats and strong-arm tactics, and brought in majority rule by saying “No!” to being bought for four shillings and a bottle of rum.
ROBIN HELWEG-LARSEN
Governor’s Harbour
Bahamas
October 14, 2018
Comments
jus2cents 6 years, 2 months ago
Here, here!
Excellent letter, right to the point, thanks to the author!
Quickly Google's "Corrupt Foreign Practices Act of the United States, enforced by both the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Justice." Boom! second later- a PDF
REMEMBER any and all politicos and business people 'greasing palms' you'd better better stop doing your shenanigans!
It is very easy in this digital age to catch any mischief!
You will get lock-up, quick-time.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 2 months ago
One Eleuthera Foundation has been around since 2006 ......... how many jobs have they created in South Eleuthera???? ......... Who has been the OEF financiers from the USA???
Heatheroe 6 years, 2 months ago
In case you didn't see this: One Eleuthera has not been around since 2006, they were formed in 2011. But Friends of Lighthouse Point was pre-existing. To answer your question, One Eleuthera, CTI and the credit union, all together currently have about 70 permanent full-time positions for Bahamians. In comparison, Disney currently employs 55 Bahamians at Castaway Cay, and about 100 - 110 foreigners. Those 120 - 150 jobs they are promising Bahamians at Lighthouse Point? It is more like 40 - 50 jobs for Bahamians. Whereas LPP will hire 190 Bahamians. It is sad that we have to fight about this.
ThisIsOurs 6 years, 2 months ago
It was so clear that those people were paid. "Disney respects me" my after burner.
It was no different than when Nygard got some drunks to wear his Klu klux klan gear in a Junkanoo parade. You have to ask yourself, who could pay a black man enough to wear the garb of the man who killed raped and oppressed his father? Apparently we have more than enough of them down in Eleuthera.
I hope they realize that once they sell their vote for that tshirt nothing else coming.
Why is it that we can't learn that these MPs have their secret deals ready in the millions while they get you to make noise for free beer? Every election is the same ting.
Next is Oban, I guess it taking so long cause everybody mad one man was keeping the spoils to himself and they jockeying for their piece. I wonder what color their shirts gonna be
Soapstop 6 years, 2 months ago
One Eleuthera has not been around since 2006, they were formed in 2011. But Friends of Lighthouse Point was pre-existing. To answer your question, One Eleuthera, CTI and the credit union, all together currently have about 70 permanent full-time positions for Bahamians. In comparison, Disney currently employs 55 Bahamians at Castaway Cay, and about 100 - 110 foreigners. Those 120 - 150 jobs they are promising Bahamians at Lighthouse Point? It is more like 40 - 50 jobs for Bahamians. Whereas LPP will hire 190 Bahamians. It is sad that we have to fight about this.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 2 months ago
OK ........... since you have all of the answers ........ Who is funding OEF????? ....... Where is their operating bank account held??????? .......... Who is the signatories on their account(s)????.......... Where is their latest audited accounts from their 2018 AGM????? ............... I am sure that you will be transparent about that as well ......... BTW: And how much is Shaun Ingraham earning as the CEO?????????
Heatheroe 6 years, 2 months ago
Well aren't you crabby today? I have no idea why any of this matters. I can tell you though, he makes exorbitantly less than Disney's CEO who took home $36 MILLION last year.
Soapstop 6 years, 2 months ago
Why all the focus on One Eleuthera Foundation? The Plan is put forth by the a Lighthouse Partners Plan.
The Disney Plan is funded by the business operations of Disney, Disney being owned by all the shareholders, many of them wealthy Americans.
The LPP Plan is put forth by a coalition of 4 partners. If you have read the plan (it is widely available) you will see that one of the partners is the Leon Levy Foundation, the same group who founded and continue to support the Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve in Governor’s Harbour. They are now funding an expansion of the Preserve.
As the LHP Plan states: "The Leon Levy Foundation (LLF) is a private foundation that supports the preservation, understanding, and expansion of knowledge in nature, art and humanities, the ancient world, and human rights. Since its inception, the Foundation has made grants totaling nearly $310 million.” Later in the plan it is stated that Leon Levy Foundation is "a New York city-based foundation with assets in excess of $500 million and we are prepared to make a bid for Lighthouse Point in Consortium with a team of other philanthropists who are interested in seeing sustainable job growth and development on South Eleuthera.”
So Philanthropists fund the LPH Plan. Shareholders fund the Disney plan. Why does it matter to you?
I hope you recognize that both plans are being funded by wealth. The difference being that the people sponsoring the LHP Plan do so because they want to save a national treasure and because they want to improve the lives of people living in South Eleuthera. The people sponsoring the Disney plan do so because they want to make a profit for their mostly-American shareholders.
Eleuthera is blessed to have been given the support of the Leon Levy Foundation. Please make an effort to visit the Native Plant Preserve. You will see what a sustainable development can look like. You will see Bahamians with full-time permanent jobs. You will see the protection of Bahamian culture. You will see Bahamians working to educate young Bahamians. It’s an excellent place to go to see what eco-tourism looks like on Eleuthera. Make sure you check out the bush medicine.
Soapstop 6 years, 2 months ago
Great letter and a timely message, Robin! Thanks for your input
DDK 6 years, 2 months ago
Great letter! DOWN WITH THE MOUSE PEOPLE AND DOWN WITH THE RATS!
jus2cents 6 years, 2 months ago
jus2cents 6 years, 2 months ago
@sheeprunner12 you clearly have access to a computer, why not just get the answers on-line, they are all there! Do some simple researching yourself. It is all on line Google it! Maybe start here- http://oneeleuthera.org/ https://www.lhppartners.com/ourplan
You should be asking better questions too, like- Hey Politicians, "Why are you selling off our birthright, so cheaply and to an entity that has never been profitable for our country. An industry that always keeps us in servitude and all whilst destroying our beautiful land and seabeds forevermore, and without the Bahamas charging them fines for the reef and land destruction they cause?"
sheeprunner12 6 years, 2 months ago
What does that website info on LHP have to do with my questions on OEF???? .......... No deflections, please
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