Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Philip Davis responded to concerns regarding the governments agreement with Royal Caribbean International for the development of the western end of Paradise Island. One of the concerned parties was Toby Smith who also planned to create a beach club on Paradise Island.
Mr. Davis spoke to members of the media outside of Cabinet this week. He said, “Toby Smith met with me a couple a weeks ago, about a week or so 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. And so we await his application.”
The Prime Minister also spoke on concerns voiced by environmentalist Joseph Darville and officials at the Atlantis Resort over the environmental impact of the project. “We ought to speak when we know all the facts. I will not be presiding over that would lead to the consequences that he’s suggesting. What he has to appreciate that RCL – Royal Caribbean, they already own several acres of land there. They’re developing their own land and they’re asking for us to partner with them with our land to make the experience for visitors more palatable. And in that partnering, the people of The Bahamas will not be left out. They went ahead of themselves in the sense that those concerns all will be taken into account when the final decisions are made in respect to what the development will look like,” Davis said.
