The Masseuse and the Tractors

"it's about time people recognized the Bahamas as a real country with real issues and not just a commodity to be traded on the development circuit." - Anonymous Bahamian blog posting

In a November 22 landmark appeal in the Bahamas Supreme Court, Discovery Land Company opted to halt all development on Great Guana Cay until the Bahamian Government is brought to trial by no later than January 31, 2006.

Under the Supreme Court of the Bahamas, Discovery Land Company promised to immediately halt all dangerous development as per a letter from the developer dated November 22. Under the court, the following was laid out and agreed upon after the developer was repeatedly threatened with an injuction:

* The developers and their employees and agents shall not cut down or remove any vegetation or trees.

* The developers and their employees and agents shall not disturb or remove any mangrove or wetlands.

* The developers and their employees and agents shall not excavate or dredge the land or seabed.

* The developers and their employees and agents shall not erect any further buildings or structures on the land.

* The developers and their employees and agents shall not construct or pave any further roads.

But a week after the appeal, Discovery Land Company appears to be at it again. While the developer claims they are just removing some mulch, it looks like they are building a road, despite their voluntary stop order.

Residents of Great Guana Cay, meanwhile, starting asking the local hardware store if there were any no trespassing signs. But they had already sold out. Discovery Land Company had been tearing through private property with its gigantic machinery, even after they made an agreement with the Supreme Court to halt all construction.

As time progresses and development is halted on the Northern end of Great Guana Cay, things get weirder and weirder. By the middle of January 2006, so many unusual circumstances have arisen, that many are wondering just what exactly is going on at the isolated and construction facility on Baker's Bay.

Meanwhile, residents from the mainland island of Abaco are beginning to show their disdain for the audacious out-island development. The winter is proving to be a proving ground for the Bakers Bay Club's public relations campaign.

CUTTING VEGETATION? Photo courtesy Stephen Jenks, November 30, 2005.

After Discovery Land Company's voluntary stop order on all environmentally damaging work, things in the media started getting out of control.

First, a photograph of the Baker's Bay masseuse was shown massaging the Prime Minister Christie, only a few days after the court date. Allegedly, Michael Meldman, president of Discovery Land Company, was flown into Marsh Harbour, regional capital of the Abaco Islands, and Prime Minister Christie was flown there as well. Regular Abaconians have been noting that for years, Prime Minister Christie has rarely, if ever, come to visit their islands in an official manner. It is believed by many Abaconians that Christie, in fact, has a strong disregard for the people of Abaco, especially because his former law school friend, and now political arch-enemy Sir Hubert Ingraham, is the voice of Abaco, and is now expected to win re-election against Christie.

Christie was criticized by Abaconians for finally coming to Abaco, but coming to visit with a foreign developer, rather than to address their concerns. The photo of him being massaged seemed to strengthen the Abaconians disdain for him.

While all this was happening, Discovery Land Company was waging a public relations campaign, apparently to pull at the heartstrings of Bahamians. Dr. Livingston Marshall was quoted in the Bahamas Journal, "This could translate into approximately $78,000 in lost wages [that would have been] going into the pockets of those families and our concerns are for the folks who will not be working with us..."It is unfortunate that [Save Guana Cay Reef/Guana locals] does not see the full sides of this development."

EXCAVATING LAND? Photo courtesy Stephen Jenks, November 30, 2005.

If you read between the lines, and examine the cost of two month's halt to construction versus the total cost of the project, it would seem unlikely that Discovery Land Company would actually have to let people go because of the environmental concerns facing their development. But Livingston's message clearly diverts the attention from the point: that local's have a genuine case, and if any employees are let go, it is not the local's fault, but rather the poor planning and ability to satisfy the locals concerns.

At the very end of December 2005, after threatening to lay off over thirty workers, Discovery Land Company fired their Bahamian masseuse. In an article with the Bahama Journal, the masseuse states, "I was supposed to have reported to work on December 26th. But due to illness, I was unable to do so...I went to the doctor and got a sick slip. During my two days off, I tried to contact management but the main office was closed. I was unable to speak with anyone directly, but I left a message on one of the managers voice mail. But when I went into work this past Wednesday, I was informed by Human Resources – without being asked any questions – that I was no longer employed with Baker’s Bay because of consistent absences from work."

Mrs. Rolle actually moved from the island of Grand Bahama to the Abaco Islands, and even to live in a small tent village on the isolated work camp on the very tip of the seven mile Guana Cay.

BUILDING ROAD? Photo courtesy Stephen Jenks, November 30, 2005.

According to the Bahama Journal, the masseuse was told to immediately remove all her possessions and get off the island. The article then says she told the developers that it would take more than a day to remove her possessions.

"I told them this would not be possible because it took me more than a day to get my things there. I also explained that the staff ferry had already left. But I was told that the company is not responsible...I was later told that by 11am today (Friday), I would have to have all my stuff out and that they had gotten clearance to change the locks on the door and do whatever is necessary…. I thought that they would have been humane enough to allow me time to relocate."

At the same time, Bakers Bay Club let go a 23 year old woman who took a few days off to grieve the death of her family members in a recent well-publicized airline crash. This employee explains that her supervisor said, "when he heard that it was my family who had died on the plane, I could take (as many) days off..."