Proposed Development Would Destroy Historical and Pre-Historical Site in the Bahamas, while Threatening Fragile Reefs and Marinelife

Press Release, February 24, 2000: A debate is now raging in the Bahamas over a proposal to build yet another upscale, beachfront community on New Providence. Bahamians are opposed to the planned Clifton Cay development because the project would severely restrict access to one of the last sandy beaches accessible by native Bahamians. The issue has now reached international significance, with groups like the Caribbean Conservation Corporation, Wildlife Conservation Society, World Monuments Fund, the Natural Resources Defense Council and a prominent archaeologist from the University of California speaking out about the cultural and environmental resources that would be destroyed by the project.

The housing, marina and golf course installations would inevitably remove or affect natural habitats, including nearshore and deep sea habitats in the vicinity. Of particular concern are plans to channelize much of Clifton Point in an attempt to provide residences with deepwater boat access. Much of the development would be located on top of the intact remains of the former Whylly Plantation. Also discovered on the site, by Dr. Laurie Wilkie of UC-Berkeley and Dr. Paul Farnsworth of LSU, are the remains of one of the most significant Lucayan Indian villages ever discovered in the Caribbean.
The developers have attempted to convince Bahamians that they will protect the cultural remnants, make them accessible to the local people. However, there is strong evidence that many yet-to-be-discovered archaeological remains are on the site, including burial remains of both African ancestors and Lucayan Indians. Many Bahamians are outraged at the thought of bulldozers digging into the buried remains of their early ancestors.

Worried about the fate of valued natural and cultural resources on the western tip of New Providence Island, Bahamians and international conservationists have teamed up to oppose a planned large-scale coastal resort and marina called Clifton Cay. The coalition is instead promoting plan that would turn the culturally and environmentally rich area into a the Clifton Conservation Area. Most of New Providence Island has already been subjected to development. Citizens are outraged that the Clifton Cay development will destroy or harm most of the wetlands, tropical hardwood forests and valuable reefs and dive sites in the adjacent marine system, as well as limit public access to the beaches and to the priceless historical and pre-historical remains on the site.

Bahamian first learned of the plan in 1998 and were angered by news of a plan to build a $400-million high-density gated community of upscale residences and vacation homes for foreigners at Clifton. Most people were concerned that they would be losing access to one of the last remaining bits of beach left to them on the tiny island. One of 700 islands making up the Bahamas, New Providence is home to nearly 90% of the nation's 280,000 citizens in and around the capital city of Nassau. Most of New Providence's shoreline has already been subjected to resort, gated community and private home development, and therefore can no longer be enjoyed by the local people. Bahamians also point out that none of the many National Parks in the Bahamas are located on New Providence, where they might be easily reached by local citizens.

Until now, the gated community project has been unable to proceed due to disputes over exactly who owns the 600-some acres slated for construction. However, Prime Minister Hubert A. Ingraham told his Parliament in June that there would be no difficulty in approving the project once the legal circumstances of the land were resolved. Ingraham and his Free National Movement party have tried to justify the development on the grounds that it will produce much needed jobs. However, many Bahamians are quick to point out that a well-planned and managed Clifton Conservation Area at Clifton Cay would produce an equal or greater number of jobs because it is ideal for the development of sustainable eco-tourism. Further, many have stated that a few temporary construction or low-wage custodial jobs are not worth the loss of their cultural heritage.

Public opposition to the proposed gated community has surprised both the Bahamian government and the developers. The developers, led by Fremont Realty Capital of San Francisco (owned by the Bechtel Family) and Chaffin/Light Associates of South Carolina, have tried to convince Bahamians that the project will not destroy the resources at Clifton, but most Bahamians are unconvinced.
Those opposed to the development are encouraging the government of the Bahamas to turn their backs to the project, which promises the short-term advantage of jobs. It is also hoped that the strong opposition to the project, especially by native Bahamians who have seen much of their cultural heritage already destroyed, will deter the developers from proceeding.

The nonprofit Caribbean Conservation , having carefully studied the proposed development and visited the Clifton site, is particularly concerned that Clifton Cay will harm important sea turtle habitat by deteriorating or destroying the world class reef system and sea grass beds just offshore of the project site. Green turtles, hawksbills and loggerheads are regular denizens of the near shore reefs and sea grass beds adjacent to Clifton Point. As herbivores, endangered green turtles frequently feed on the seagrass beds around Clifton. Meanwhile, hawksbills, which are listed as "critically endangered" throughout the Caribbean, and loggerheads, forage among the rich diversity of sea life found along the area's reefs.

CCC is the world's oldest sea turtle research and conservation group and has worked to protect sea turtles and their habitats throughout the wider Caribbean for over forty years.
In the United States, especially in Florida, government agencies and private organizations are spending millions of dollars to protect turtles and their nesting beaches. Partly as a result of these efforts, some U.S. nesting populations of sea turtles appear to be showing signs of a slow recovery. Nevertheless, sea turtles are highly migratory and spend over 90% of their lives in distant marine habitats, which means the protection of these important marine resources is essential to the turtles' long term survival. Research using satellite telemetry to track the migratory patterns of sea turtles reveals that Florida's nesting populations of both loggerheads and green turtles regularly travel to the Bahamas after nesting on our beaches. Therefore, what happens in the Bahamas directly affects U.S. sea turtle populations.
The level of marine biodiversity found just offshore of the proposed development site is spectacular and rivals that found anywhere else in the Bahamas or the Caribbean. In fact, the entire area is dotted with internationally famous diving hot spots and supports a local, multi-million dollar recreational diving industry. The proposed development of 637 upscale home sites on Clifton Point calls for an extensive canal system to be dug through the peninsula's limestone to allow lot owners direct boat access to the ocean. The extensive canal system and associated marina will flush directly into the nearshore habitat causing silt, sand, oil, gas and other residential runoff to directly impact the surrounding reefs and seagrass beds. The increased boat traffic through this fragile system will also negatively affect the Clifton reefs and their inhabitants.

Last year, the Bahamian government hired a prominent Florida engineering firm (Law Engineering) to conduct an independent evaluation of the Clifton Cay development. In their analysis, Law Engineering reported that, "Of most concern is the potential impact on the coral reef resources that fringe the end of New Providence Island." The report concluded with , "In its present form, the proposed development does not adequately protect these marine and shoreline natural resources."

David Godfrey
CARIBBEAN CONSERVATION CORPORATION
4424 NW 13th Street
Gainesville, FL 32609
352-373-6441