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The Nassau Guardian

Bimini resident upset over undelivered promises (please see final paragraphs)

By KEVA LIGHTBOURNE Sunday, February16, 2003

Guardian Staff Reporter

Fishing is the main industry in Bimini, and it has long been known as the Big Game Fishing capital of the world.

While Government promised to deal with mounting environmental concerns in Bimini, a local councillor is calling for immediate attention to the poor state of the harbor, which has resulted in the decline of the once thriving big game fishing industry.

Ebbie David, a member of the Local Government Board and a fishing tour guide, told the Guardian Wednesday, that between last year and now he has lost 86 jobs as a result of the poor conditions at the harbour.

"The bonefishing guides really have nothing to do. I think I'm going to get back into trapping because at present bonefishing isn't working out. I don't want to, but I'm forced to and I need to keep living," he said.

The state of the harbour is just one of the many mounting problems, Mr. David highlighted via a telephone interview. He made mention of the six-mile road project which has been abandoned, the ongoing dispute about the Bimini Bay development, and a dwindling tourist industry. Those combined, Mr. David said is cause for "serious concern" as island residents "are only getting by."

"If something is not done quickly, I don't know what is going to happen. We have a couple of tourists coming in, but just about all the hotel rooms in Bimini are empty. Bimini is suppose to be a showcase for our Minister of Tourism, but nothing is happening," Mr. David said.

Last November, Minister of Works and Utilities Bradley Roberts promised residents that relief is on the way with regards to the harbour. He said the Government had received a proposal to conduct a coastal engineering analysis of the area, which would be inclusive of the preparation of a base map from aerial photography, tide and current measurements, jet probes and hydrographical surveys.

He explained that this base map along with a hydrodynamic model, coastal and sediment analysis will provide the necessary data to develop alternative engineering solutions for short and long term harbour management. But to date, nothing has been done.

The Guardian was told that it was predicted that the harbour works will take at least a year.

In the meantime, Mr. David said yachters from around the world have stopped their visits to the island.

"Our yachters are not able to come in here any more. This not only killing the bonefishing industry, but the fishing industry too," he stressed.

"We are really begging our Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe, who is also the island's representative, to try and get something going in Bimini. A fast ferry or something.

"Every government for the past 20 something years keep promising Bimini and nothing is being done. Everybody just have a bunch of smart talk and nothing to it. We urged them at this time to please do something for us," Mr. David said, noting that work needs to be done on the harbours in both North and South Bimini. He hoped that the harbour will soon be fixed as Bimini residents rely heavily on the mailboat services.

As for the roads, Mr. David said residents are now being forced to deal with heavy dust on a daily basis.  Last year, he said the Government started several miles of roadwork, which has yet to be completed. He said about two-three miles of work is still uncompleted.

"We are asking the government to please hurry up and finish the job and pay Knowles Construction the money that they owe them and get the roads paved," he said.

Mr. David blames the Bimini Bay project for the destruction of a large piece of land, which resulted in the clearing of cedar trees, "destroying nature." The development started in 1997 and was to be completed within five years. It called for the construction of not less than 200 hotel rooms, residential subdivision, a marina capable of handling more than 150 boats, an 18-hole golf course, a commercial centre, a series of fine gourmet restaurants, boutique, health spa, marine shop, and a 10,000 square foot casino among other amenities. "The PLP Government has apparently put pressure on them because they just had 21,000 blocks come in," Mr. David said.

"But, the only thing they came in here to do is to destroy Bimini. If a native had tried something like that, the Government would have locked them up, put them in jail and throw away the key. We need some resolution to our problems and we need it now," he said. © 2003 The Nassau Guardian