Bahamas News
BAHAMAS: Environmental Activists, Biminites Decry South Cat Cay Development, Document Evidence
#Bahamas, November 17, 2017 – South Cat Cay – A small plane circled slowly, flying over the blue-green waters of the northern Bahamas. It should have been a day of sightseeing, photographing an island under carefully managed development with its fragile marine resources protected as the gems that will lure those who will eventually visit, live there or leave their yachts.
Instead, what they saw as they flew over South Cat Cay sent chills down their spines and cries of outrage and despair from their hearts. The group in the plane included representatives from Save Our Home, a Bimini-based organisation, Save The Bays and Waterkeepers Bahamas.
Save The Bays Chairman Joe Darville said what he saw convinced him more than ever of the urgency of creating comprehensive environmental protection legislation and placing an environmental watchdog on every project.
“It takes hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years to create coral reefs and minutes with heavy equipment to destroy it,” said Darville. “We are pleading, not asking, pleading with government. When will you listen? When will we begin to take these gifts that God gave us seriously and stop allowing uncaring people to eviscerate them in the name of progress? This is not progress. This is evil.”
The story below is their story, in their words. Save Our Home wrote it at the close of their aerial and land inspection during early November, 2017. Their words have not been edited. The introduction, they said, was gleaned from previously published reports:
In 2009, the Government of the Bahamas under PM (Hubert) Ingraham gave full environmental approval for the 85-acre privately owned South Cat Cay for an exclusive, high end, hospitality and marina project. The project will comprise a 53 room five star branded boutique hotel with related amenities, 29 marina condo units, 37 residential units, a 137 slip marina, restaurants, shops and recreational facilities. This high-end resort will also include an upmarket residential community.
During the course of construction in two phases it is estimated that some 75 Bahamians will be employed, and upon completion and build out some 170 permanent jobs will be created. In addition to the $94 million capital investment by the developers, their economic impact assessment projects over $200 million in real estate sales over the first five years, which will significantly benefit government revenues, suppliers and employment. The developer said the project will bring considerable benefit to Biminites in the form of employment and entrepreneurial opportunities generated by proposed retail space and excursions in the marina village. They said they plan to purchase Bimini built skiffs for bone-fishing excursions led by Bahamian guides. A Bahamian will operate a ferry service to and from Bimini; an artist in residence program will expose Bahamian artists to new techniques; a recording space will dedicate studio time for local musicians and local cooks will be provided with classical training. Additionally, a fund is being established for primary and secondary educational facilities in Bimini to further long-term environmental awareness. It is also proposed that a marine sanctuary will be created to the south east of South Cat Cay to complement the educational initiative.
But there comes a point when you start to feel like it’s just Deja-vu, that we have heard all this before, been promised jobs for Biminites, been told the highest environmental impact studies are being adhered to, but the reality is, to those of us who live here, it’s all just “hot air” and what they think people want to hear to sell us another story of jobs, progress and investment, but at what expense is the big question?
On Thursday, November 9 the Save Our Home-Bimini Environmental Activist group was invited along with members of the Save The Bays team and Waterkeepers Bahamas to fly over South Cat Cay and witness for ourselves what is really going on. Pictures and videos never lie and there before our very eyes was proof that the development is taking place as we speak, without the relevant silt barriers in place, the kind that actually work and contain the silt that is, properly installed without gaps and without proof of the silt drifting for miles. Memories of the same devastation at the hands of RW (Resorts World) Bimini in 2014 during the dredging of the cruise ship pier spring to mind, with the same ineffectual yellow silt curtains that within two weeks of being installed broke open, covering the ocean in drifting polystyrene and the beaches to this day, covered in yellow plastics. The cruise ship was rendered obsolete in a year. Meanwhile, we lost 12 main dive sites off the west coast of Bimini, smothered in silt, which suffocated the corals and partially buried the stones of Atlantis, sites that divers come from all over the world to see and that locals earn their living from in dive tours. Marine life dwindled to a point that some species are no longer seen in these waters.
In the past couple of weeks, more than one hundred Bahamians have been fired from RW, leaving people wondering if the resort is going bankrupt over rumors that they are losing in excess of $26,000 a day. And whilst the resort here in Bimini conjures images of a sinking ship, long predicted by those of us in the know due to the size of the development being too big for the infrastructure on such a small island, the Government is meanwhile playing out the same story all over again in South Cat Cay.
Large populations of turtles used to be seen on the cays around South Cat, just like they did offshore from RW Bimini. Now the water is so muddy with silt, nothing can be seen and in Bimini an annual Power Boat Grand Prix is organized around the very reefs that are home to turtles and sharks.
Bimini and South Cat Cay has a blessing and curse, a blessing that it is at the top of the Bahamas chain and so brings an abundance of tourism to these shores, but a curse that successive governments seem to cash in on in taxes from such large scale developments, none of which is seen invested back into the local communities. As Fred Smith QC has pointed out, until we have local governance and taxes made on these islands invested back into local community developments, instead of going into the countries capital never to be seen again, the family islands will continue to deteriorate and decline.
One would think, that when heads of agreement come together, that a budget could be put in place with the developers to financially cover the employment of an on-site environmental advisor to monitor the development and provide weekly reports that all is in keeping with plans laid out, providing jobs for Bahamians and protecting our shores. Instead, developers seems to think they have carte blanche to do whatever they like while no one is watching. Accountability seems sadly lacking throughout the Bahamas development. At the end of the day, we are left with our natural resources ransacked and foreign developers pulling out, once the damage is already done. New legislation is needed putting the environment first in order to save one of the most beautiful parts of the world before it’s too late. With the Bahamas being such low lying islands and global warming and sea levels rising, it makes no sense not to put new environmental legislation at the top of the priorities list moving forward.
Release: DPA News
Photo captions:
Header: Sand and silt from dredging and excavating on South Cat Cay can smother coral reefs and kill the life that depends on the marine habitat. Already, say representatives of three organizations that inspected the development site this week, the once plentiful sea turtles in the area are no more.
1st insert: Dredging and infrastructure work is underway at South Cat Cay where a hotel and marina were approved for the 85-acre site under the former FNM government, but environmentalists want to know where is the protection for marine resources?
2nd & 3rd inserts: Inadequate silt barriers allow disturbed sand and silt to float over open waters, smothering coral reefs and suffocating the life that depends upon the habitat, potentially endangering grouper, hogfish and reef species and upsetting the full eco-cycle in a fragile eco-system. The above image was taken from a small plane flying over a development underway at South Cat Cay in the northern Bahamas. Environmentalists from three groups want to know where are those who are supposed to be protecting the marine environment of The Bahamas? They fear the project will mirror the tragedies of nearby Bimini where world-famous dive sites were destroyed by a massive dredger to make way for a cruise ship dock. The cruise ship does not call on Bimini anymore and more than 150 people have been laid off from their jobs at the resort it was intended to serve.
Bahamas News
Next U.S. Ambassador? Walker Pledges Business-Driven Approach as U.S. Looks to Counter China in The Bahamas
Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
The Bahamas, September 16, 2025 – For the first time since 2011, the United States is on the cusp of sending an ambassador to The Bahamas — and the nominee, former football star turned entrepreneur Herschel Walker, is promising to bring his business instincts to the diplomatic table.
Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week, Walker underscored that his background in food-service companies and small business leadership has prepared him to think practically about investment. “I know how to run a business, how to create jobs, how to make payroll. Those lessons translate into building relationships and building trust,” Walker said.
Walker, who was nominated by President Trump in December 2024, faced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on September 11. As of now, he has not yet been confirmed; his nomination remains under review, pending a committee vote before it can move to the full Senate. If approved, he would become the first U.S. ambassador to The Bahamas since 2011.
For years, U.S. officials have stressed security and counternarcotics cooperation with The Bahamas, including through “Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos.” But in areas like infrastructure, medical care, and long-term investment, Washington has often been absent.
Hospitals and clinics remain under-resourced, and hurricane recovery has been slow in many islands. Chinese state-backed firms, by contrast, have shown up with financing packages and construction deals — a presence that has raised alarms on Capitol Hill.
“Only 50 miles off our shore, The Bahamas is too important for us to ignore,” warned Senate Foreign Relations Committee leaders during Walker’s hearing. They called China’s inroads “strategic, not charitable,” suggesting Beijing’s long game is about ports, proximity, and political leverage.
Walker positioned himself as a nontraditional but pragmatic envoy. He argued that his business career, rooted in private sector success, equips him to champion American investment in The Bahamas.
He pledged to:
- Promote U.S. companies interested in medical and infrastructure projects.
- Support an environment that encourages American investors to see The Bahamas as more than just a beach destination.
- Highlight opportunities for partnerships that improve public services, healthcare, and resilience against hurricanes.
“I’ve built businesses. I know what it takes to attract investors and create opportunity. That is exactly what I intend to bring to our relationship with The Bahamas,” Walker said.
The Bahamas is not just a tourist paradise. It’s a frontline state in migration, drug interdiction, and hurricane response. More than six
million U.S. visitors travel there annually, making stability and safety a U.S. domestic concern as much as a foreign policy one.
And yet, with the ambassador post vacant for 14 years, the U.S. has often looked detached — opening space for China’s ambitious Belt and Road agenda. The fear is that infrastructure deals signed today could give Beijing leverage in the region tomorrow. Walker’s confirmation would symbolize a course correction, signaling Washington’s intent to re-engage not only in security but in the economic future of The Bahamas. Not everyone is convinced Herschel Walker is the right man for the job. His nomination revived controversies from his 2022 Senate run, including past allegations, public gaffes, and doubts about whether he has the diplomatic polish the post demands. Some senators and analysts questioned whether celebrity and business experience were enough for a role requiring nuance in foreign policy and geopolitics.
Critics argued that The Bahamas, sitting just 50 miles from Florida and facing intense Chinese interest, deserves a seasoned diplomat rather than a political ally.
Walker confronted those doubts head-on. “People have underestimated me all my life — in academics, athletics, and business,” he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “And I have always proven them wrong, through discipline, determination, and by outworking everyone.”
He admitted he had never served as an ambassador but countered that his career prepared him in other ways: building businesses, managing payrolls, and connecting with people from all walks of life. He framed his business background as a strength, promising to use it to encourage U.S. investment in healthcare, infrastructure, and hurricane resilience projects in The Bahamas.
Rather than sparring with critics, Walker leaned on confidence and persistence: “I know how to build trust and find common ground. That’s what this relationship needs.”
If confirmed, Walker would have to balance his role as diplomat with expectations of being a commercial cheerleader for U.S. firms. His emphasis on entrepreneurship suggests a willingness to push U.S. businesses toward opportunities in healthcare, ports, and post-storm reconstruction — areas where Bahamians say they need the most support.
For Bahamian officials, the question will be whether Washington is prepared to back words with financing. U.S. private sector dollars, paired with aid and development partnerships, could help shift the tide against Chinese influence.
For Walker, the test will be whether his business acumen can translate into diplomatic wins — giving Bahamians alternatives to Beijing, while deepening the U.S. role in the Caribbean.
Analysis: If Walker delivers, this appointment could mark a turning point: a U.S. strategy that recognizes that in the Caribbean, investment is diplomacy.
The Bahamas, September 10, 2025 – Rescue swimmers from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Aviation Training Center in
Mobile, Alabama visited Nassau to train Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) and Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) members in water survival skills as part of Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) earlier this week.
“Training alongside our USCG partners ensures our personnel are best prepared for the unique challenges of joint operations” said Superintendent Wendy Pearson, Commander Drug Enforcement Unit.
The multi-day exercise, centered on the USCG’s Shallow Water Egress Training (SWET), enhanced the safety and preparedness of Bahamian partners who routinely operate aboard USCG helicopters during OPBAT missions. The exercise provided hands-on instruction for 31 participants and strengthened interoperability between U.S. and Bahamian agencies engaged in counter-drug, search and rescue, and maritime security operations throughout the region.
“We were excited and proud to have the opportunity to share our expertise with our Bahamian partners. Not only did RBDF and RBPF
perform exceptionally well, they exceeded the standards we set for the event,” said Petty Officer Second Class Cole Johnson, USCG.
OPBAT is a cooperative multi-agency international operation supporting The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands to stop illicit drug smuggling through the region. U.S. Embassy Nassau Chargé d’affaires Kimberly Furnish stated, “Since 1982, OPBAT has worked to stop the flow of illicit narcotics through the Caribbean, destined for the United States or other jurisdictions. This is international cooperation at its best.”
