June 15, 2021
A Bahamian investor blasts government on crown land betrayal to Royal Caribbean Cruise Line in the middle of a court battle.
Toby Smith, Paradise Island Lighthouse & Beach Club Co. Ltd.’s (PILH) principal, said he is is appalled by the fact that the Prime Minister of the Bahamas, the Minister Responsible for Crown Lands would offer a signed Crown Land Lease to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.
“The moral standard of a foreign corporation, who are supposed to follow international laws of ethics and morals when dealing with foreign governments are clearly complicit in negotiating with the government of the Bahamas for Bahamian Crown Land in litigation.
Both the government and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines feel comfortable slighting a Bahamian investor with a full project that’s ready to go.
The Prime Minister and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines are aware of the pending litigation initiated by Paradise Island Lighthouse & Beach Club Co. Ltd. to have their Crown Land Lease Agreement, offered by the Minister Responsible for Crown Land and accepted in its entirety to be heard before the Supreme Court. This illustrates the PM’s and RCl’s disregard and disrespect for the judiciary, again, while Paradise Island Lighthouse & Beach Club peacefully awaits the due process to come to a conclusion.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines President Michael Bayley reached out to Toby Smith, Principal of Paradise Island Lighthouse & Beach Club for reconciliation talks a mere three weeks ago and in the midst of those have negotiated a Crown Land Lease for land that is in litigation. These questionable actions, morals and ethics of both Prime Minister Minnis and RCL’s president and cohorts are on display for Bahamians to witness the extent to which both parties are willing to go to make Bahamians non existent in this matter and that is deplorable.
RCL have announced they are not prepared to scale back on their plans and having been supplied PILH’s site plan are abundantly aware of our Crown Land Parcels. I have asked them to respect my land boundaries contained within my Lease and their reaction has been to continue their provocation of a land battle. This further exemplifies Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines’ complete lack of respect for Bahamians and local, established investors while complicit with a Prime Minister.
Paradise Island Lighthouse & Beach Club are confident that general elections are just a few short months away and the Bahamian voting public will be waving good riddance to the current Prime Minister who singlehandedly sank the FNM’s ship. We are also confident in receiving justice as our matter goes through the court litigation process.
We wish to also publicly thank the leader of the Opposition Mr. Philip Brave Davis who has issued the statement that when elected as Prime Minister he will cancel any deal done with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines for Crown Land on Paradise Island.
So while RCL wishes to throw crumbs at the poor in the Bahamas and snap a quick photograph for the benefit of their self-promotion in the press, Paradise Island Lighthouse & Beach Club shall continue to stand up to these oppressors and unite with other Bahamians wishing to bring benefit and opportunity from Bahamian Crown Land so we can make our own money, feed our families without the need to beg foreigners for food and make an honest, respectable living.
May the light shine on……..