PM says PI’s lighthouse developer must reapply

By FAY SIMMONS jsimmons@ tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamian entrepreneur seeking to invest $2m to restore Paradise Island’s lighthouse was yesterday invited by the Prime Minister to reapply for government approval of his project.

Philip Davis KC said he had asked Toby Smith to submit a fresh application after Chief Justice Ian Winder ruled last month that he did not have a valid and binding Crown Land lease for five acres of land that would facilitate his project in the Colonial Beach area.

“The court has ruled that he had no interest in the land and I’ve invited him to, if he is still interested, to reapply for consideration of the Government of his project and we await his application,” Mr Davis said of Mr Smith. The latter declined to comment when contacted by

Tribune Business yesterday, but it is thought that reapplying could undermine and cut across his prospects of appealing the Chief Justice’s ruling to the Court of Appeal.

In addition, Mr Smith’s project had been approved by the former Minnis administration and was only awaiting the Crown Land leases to proceed. Given that Royal Caribbean has reduced its

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Gas station operator’s relief faith ‘now 120%’

By FAY SIMMONS and NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Reporters

A GAS station operator yesterday said his faith was now “120 percent” restored over the Government’s intention to provide relief for the sector’s plight following Monday’s meeting with the Prime Minister.

Vasco Bastian, the Bahamas Petroleum Retailers Association’s (BPRA) vice-president, told

Tribune Business he was “100 percent confident” that the Davis administration will deliver on long-promised assistance for the industry after a meeting he described as “reassuring”.

“It was just the fact that the conversation went in the right direction,” he explained.

“I believe in the Prime Minister, I believe the Prime Minister believes in small and medium-sized businesses, and he’s demonstrated that over the years. The conversation was very reassuring. He understands our concerns, he understands our plight, and is much more sympathetic than the previous administration as regards our industry.

“We’re very, very happy.

I’m proud to be a small and medium-sized businessman now, and proud to be a Bahamian. My faith never wavered per se. My faith was at 75-80 percent, but now it’s at 120 percent. It’s what we needed. We always go into discussions, and have dialogue, with people that are in charge, that understand you, understand your plight.

“The Prime Minister was very accommodating and that goes well with our confidence level. We’re business persons, we’re Bahamians and we’re trying to keep the wheels of the economy moving. He understands that. We’ll talk in two weeks.” Mr environmental approvals process for Royal Caribbean’s project.

Mr Roberts, meanwhile, told this newspaper that the Government will also likely have to address the additional congestion in an already-crowded Nassau Harbour caused by the ferries and other vessels transporting passengers, staff, supplies and other commodities to a Royal Beach Club that will be inaccessible overland by road. There is also the likelihood that solid, and potentially other forms of waste, will have to be removed from the site be boat on a daily basis. The increased vessel traffic, Mr Roberts argued, could impact marina development plans on both the