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BY KEVA LIGHTBOURNE
GUARDIAN STAFF
REPORTER
Once fiercely
opposed by residents, the Bimini Bay Development
project has become "more acceptable," except
for workers' concerns over being outnumbered
"two-to-one" by foreigners.
However, on
Tuesday, owner-developer Geraldo Capo, speaking from
his Florida office, described the project as "a
success", saying that Bahamians comprised 30 of
an estimated 50 workers on the site.
Mr Capo's $100
million, 700-acre Bimini Bay Development project was
approved by the Free National Movement Government in
July 1997.
The terms of a
five-year Heads of Agreement specified: Construction
of a hotel of not less than 200 rooms; a residential
subdivision; a marina capable of handling more than
150 boats; an 18-hole golf course; a commercial centre;
gourmet restaurants; a boutique; a health spa; a
marine shop; tennis courts; children's play area, and
a 10,000 square-foot casino.
Scaled down
project...
However, as
residents and environmentalists expressed sustained
reservations over possible degradation to Bimini's
ecology, it was announced that the scale of the
project had been significantly reduced.
The Guardian has
also been advised that a prospective operator for the
proposed hotel and casino is due to visit Bimini
before the end of January.
'Progressing well'
Valentines Grimes,
lawyer for Mr Capo, told the Guardian Tuesday that,
"There has been very good response to the
product, and we are looking forward to participating
in the overall economic development of Bimini."
The project was
said to be "progressing well", and with 70
housing units presently under construction, continuing
to attract the attention of "interested
parties."
Also, according to
Mr Capo - so far real estate up to a total of $25
million had been sold.
Environmentalists
'pacified'
Mr Capo said all
environmental concerns had been resolved in close
consultation with the Bahamas Environmental Science
and Technology Commission, to which it had provided
numerous environmental reports.
The Guardian was
also told that the developers had entered into an
arrangement with BEST with respect to the resort's
management from an environmental standpoint.
"We are very
happy that we are doing as well as we are doing. It
has not been easy, it has been a very difficult battle
but I have a lot of trust in the Bahamian Government
and the Bahamian people," he said.
Residents' concerns
eased
Also on Tuesday,
island resident and Chief Councillor Tasha Rolle,
explaining residents' change of heart, said, "I
think there was great concern to the initial project
because it was going to be on a much wider scale,
which included a grand casino and houses. But the
project has been down-sized and is more acceptable to
the community."
"Right now we
are happy to see that over the past year the BEST
Commission has been monitoring what is going on very
closely, and so we are more comfortable and that eases
our concern," she said.
Claiming that less
than 20 Bahamians were employed at the site, and
outnumbered two-to-one by foreigners, she said,
"As far as the District Council is concerned, we
have had countless meetings with Valentines Grimes and
some of Mr. Capo's legal people from Florida.
"We have met
and he knows our concerns. Right now we are looking
forward to him completing the project seeing that a
number of our people are gainfully employed," she
said.
Phased construction
Mr. Grimes, who
said he visited the site on Friday, advised that at
that time over 30 persons from a well-established
promotional firm were on the island, and were were
"very happy with what they saw and would be very
happy to push the resort and the product."
He said that Phase
I of the development was divided into three stages, A,
B, and C, that would include the construction of:
Homes; condominiums; marina slips; electricity supply;
a commercial centre; a water desalination plant; a
sewage treatment plant; landscaping, paving, and
drainage.
He said that Phase
I (A) would include the building of 23 houses, 46
condos, 60 marinas, and a 1.5 mile long, 15-feet deep
and 120-feet wide channel.
Asked when he
expected Phase I to be completed, Mr. Grimes said he
preferred not to specify precise times.
"If I recall
correctly," he said, "they are working on a
five-year programme right now, and it is anticipated
that the entire Phase I A, B, and C, will be completed
within that five-year period."
Posted: Wednesday
January 21, 2004
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