Exuma Moorings Project Halted

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Environmentalists and residents sounding the alarm over the approval and sudden cancellation of a lease agreement with The Bahamas Mooring Limited.

The company was spearheading an approved project for the installation of 250 moorings over 4,000 acres of seabed at 49 locations in the Exuma Chains.

Hours after they defended the choice to grand a 21-year lease to The Bahamas Moorings Limited, the Office of the Prime Minister announced the deal has been canceled.

The government came under fire over the agreement that was later revealed granted without environmental approvals.

Bahamas National Trust Executive Director Lakeisha Anderson Rolle telling Our News they’re disappointed in the way the arrangement unfolded.

Anderson-Rolle says there needs to be transparency in issues like this, adding that while they have no issue with commercial projects like this one, the number of moorings approved was a clear violation.

In a statement, the Office of the Prime Minister said the lease required that the company meet environmental and other conditions, adding that when the company began to install some moorings in advance of meeting all such conditions, they were ordered to cease and desist.

Meanwhile, Save The Bays chairman Joe Darville finds the entire thing bothering.

Minister for lands, Prime Minister Philip Davis, had approved the lease for the company to install 250 moorings over 4,000 acres of seabed at 49 locations in the Exuma chain.

No public announcement was made, and no public meeting held.

The placement of the moorings before full approvals involves OPM deputy communications director Sadra Hylton Kemp.

Local government councilor Clayton Patterson-Smith says situations like this highlight the disparity between central government and local government.