At a press briefing held at the Office of the Prime Minister on Thursday Press Secretary, Clint Watson expounded on the terms of the deal between the government and Royal Caribbean International for their beach club project planned for Paradise Island.
Watson said, “the key point is what was presented and approved in principle is a revised proposal which is smaller in scale and excludes a significant amount of government land. There is about four acres of crown land that is connected to the revised project and that four acres was granted in May of 2021 prior to this administration taking office. It is also important to note that RCL has committed to creating some entrepreneurial opportunities for Bahamians including the ferry service to be fully operated by Bahamians and owned by Bahamians. These were additional asks that were specifically included that the government wanted to ensure Bahamian stakeholder and ownership in this also, Bahamians will be able to invest up to 49% in this project. So when you look at Prime Minister Davis in opposition would have said it was based on what the circumstances at the time were presented that has changed, this is not that same proposal. This is a different proposal.”
