Bahamas News
ROYAL CARIBBEAN ANNOUNCES PUBLIC CONSULTATION IN EARLY JUNE FOR ROYAL BEACH CLUB PROJECT
The Cruise Line Touts Government’s Strict Environmental Regulations
MIAMI, May 15, 2023 – Royal Caribbean International has announced that it will hold an additional public consultation in conjunction with The Bahamas’ Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP) on June 8 at 6:30 p.m. The consultation will provide the community the opportunity to ask questions regarding its 17-acre Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island as part of the process defined by DEPP.
Now that the company has received ‘approval in principle’ from the National Economic Council (NEC) – subject to appropriate environmental review – it is eager to address the environmental questions raised by the local community. Further details regarding the public consultation meeting will be announced in the coming days.
Jay Schneider, Chief Product Innovation Officer, Royal Caribbean International, following a recent visit to Nassau, lauded Government’s strict environmental protection and planning policies. He acknowledged that questions already raised by the community would be addressed and that any discussions before NEC’s conditional approval would have been premature.
Once the public consultation period has closed – in line with the DEPP process – Royal Caribbean will publish a detailed Environmental Management Plan (EMP) that outlines how the company will thoughtfully restore the long-
neglected stretch of land on the western end of Paradise Island.
“The majority of the 13 acres we have purchased is far from pristine. There are remnants of abandoned and neglected buildings and houses — many built more than half a century ago with no restrictions on infrastructure. Today, what remains are crumbling structures, protruding rusting metal rebar, broken glass, furniture that has been tossed out and exposed to the elements, and debris and trash along with overgrown invasive vegetation,” said Schneider.
While clearing and clean-up will be one of the first steps in creating the beach experience, Royal Caribbean will go above and beyond the requirements of the environmental management process related to land use and marine life by monitoring bird activity, noise levels and regular reporting of coral reef health. Recently, the cruise line released its six environmental pillars for the development of the Royal Beach Club, that go above and beyond any other land-based tourism development in The Bahamas, including: zero waste-to-landfill, 100% renewable energy by 2030, best-in-class wastewater treatment, no dredging and no overwater cabanas, protecting the surrounding habitat, and local environmental monitoring.
“We are looking forward to creating a beach experience that will be a beautiful, environmentally conscientious experience owned in part by Bahamians and operated and enjoyed by Bahamians. The Royal Beach Club will dramatically restore and enhance the western stretch of Paradise Island and we invite others who seem concerned to follow us on our journey of restoration and inclusion,” said Schneider.
Crafted in close collaboration with Government, the Royal Beach Club will feature an unprecedented public-private partnership in which Bahamians will be invited to own up to 49% equity. The new project also will create opportunities for local businesses and entrepreneurs to manage the vast majority of the experience as well as hundreds of jobs for Bahamians across its construction and long-term operation. The 17-acre beach club will be made up of 13 acres of land owned by the cruise line and 4 acres of Crown Land. The Crown Land will be contributed as equity in the new venture to ensure a share of the profits return to the government and the Bahamian people in a first-of-its-kind agreement in The Bahamas. This, in addition to a new tourism levy, will go into reinvesting in the local community.
Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#TheBahamas, August 5, 2023 – An American woman has been arrested in The Bahamas, accused of conspiring with two men, one of them alleged to be her lover, to murder her estranged husband.
The woman, 36 year old Lindsay Shiver and the two men, 28-year-old Terrance Bethel, the alleged lover and 29 year old Faron Newbold, were taken into custody last week following police investigation of a reported burglary at
Grabbers Bar and Grill restaurant on Great Guana Cay.
The police looked into their cell phones and found WhatsApp messages detailing the assassination plot to kill her husband.
The couple, who built a life in South Georgia have three children and are home owners on the island in the Abacos.
News outlets throughout the US have reported on the scandalous story, including that a nasty court battle over the couple’s reported, $5 Million dollar fortune and three children was underway. Shiver, an entrepreneur is a former beauty Alabama queen, her husband a former football player was an insurance executive.
According to US media, the husband, Robert, recently filed for divorce from Shivers after a decade of marriage upon discovering she had an alleged extra-martial affair with Bethel whom she met in The Bahamas.
While the husband claims infidelity on the part of his wife, the wife claims he was abusive.
The suspects Shiver, Bethel and Newbold appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley on Friday July 28th. Their next court date is set for October 5th.
Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#TheBahamas, August 5, 2023 – The Bahamas is now facing an unfortunate reality as sexual assault has become and is a growing issue since 2023. Women and girls are said to be living in fear for their safety from these perpetrators.
The Royal Bahamas Police force has reported on instances of assault in press releases found on their Facebook page.
One report spoke of a 50 year old they were searching for after he burglarized a home and sexually assaulted an elderly woman, 82 years old. She was reported to be asleep when he woke and assaulted her.
This took place on Tuesday July 11th, 2023 at the home in the Centreville area of Nassau.
There is another incident that took place on July 17th, 2023 which the police are seeking in catching the suspect as they investigate. It involves a man believed to the perpetrator in for an armed robbery and sexual assault.
According to preliminary data, he approached the victim, a female, with a firearm, robbed her and sexually assaulted
her. He proceeded to enter the house and robbed a male and escaped. This happened in the Cowpen Road area; also in Nassau.
The assaults continue to grow in number as the police reported that they were investigating two other incidents that took place on July 24th.
The first had to do with a female, 30 years old who reported she was driving on West on Marshall Road when two men approached her after she slowed down near Faith Avenue. One of the males with a firearm, forced her from her vehicle and took her to nearby bushes where they sexually assaulted her after which they escaped.
The second incident involved à 32 year old woman who was sexually assaulted by a male known to her. It is reported that she was walking in the Fleming Street area when she accepted transportation from the suspect, who drove her to a dirt road off Gladstone Road where he presented a firearm and proceeded to rape her.
Furthermore, another assault, this time involving a 9 year old girl, was reported. As revealed by preliminary information, the victim was playing with friends outside where she lives on Saturday July 29th, 2023 when the suspect, a 42 year old male of Summerset Estate, driving a white Nissan Skyline, arrived and gestured to her to enter the car.
She entered the car after which he took her to an unknown location, threatened her and sexually assaulted her. She was later found somewhere in Spikenard Road; this also happened in Nassau.
Fortunately, he was caught and arrested for abduction and sexual assault on Sunday July 30th by officers affiliated with the Drug Enforcement Unit.
There are other reports of sexual assault throughout The Bahamas as well as rape and attempted rape during the earlier parts of the year, dating back to as early as February.
CAPTION: Women Leaders, including Ann Marie Davis, wife of the Prime Minister filled the gallery of The Bahamas Senate this week as members of the upper chamber debated the Protection Against Violence Bill 2023. The debate came just as the country experiences a spike in sexual assaults against women and girls. Photo by Patrick Hanna, BIS.
#TurksandCaicos, August 5, 2023 – On August 3rd, 2023, Premier Misick met with the Leader of the
Opposition of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, the Honorable Michael Pintard. The discussion was highly productive, and they delved into matters of mutual concern between their neighboring nations. Hon. Pintard was accompanied by other opposition members, including Senator the Honorable Darren Handfield and Mr. Joshua Sears.
Group photo caption:
From Left to Right: Mr. Joshua Sears, Senator Hon. Darren Hendfield, Premier Hon. Charles Washington Misick, Bahamas Leader of the Bahamas Hon. Michael Pintard and Deputy Premier Hon. Erwin J. Saunders.
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