The entrance to Cabbage Beach.
By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
THE imminent closure of the main public access to Cabbage Beach adjacent to the Riu Paradise Island Hotel has ignited a firestorm of criticism, with Bahamas Taxicab Union officials warning that the decision could adversely affect scores of drivers.
According to signs attached last week to the sliding metal entry gates to the path, as of October 8, people will no longer be permitted access to the beach over the privately-owned land, which is scheduled for development.
Bahamas Taxicab Union President Philip Watkins yesterday insisted that the decision to close the western easement to Cabbage Beach would not be “gracefully accepted”.
Mr Watkins warned that the proposed closure would “single-handedly end the livelihood of many taxi drivers” due to the high volume of business generated from tourists wanting to be transported to the beach.
“It is impossible for anybody to think that they can shut down access to a public beach – a beach that has so much economic value to many Bahamians,” he added.
Mr Watkins said for his drivers, the safety of their passengers is just as important as their income. “Far too many drivers depend on that easement in particular because it offers the safest drop-off point for their passengers,” he added.
The easement, which has been used for many years, is one of two remaining public access points to Cabbage Beach. The other is further east, by the Paradise Island Beach Club.
The parcel of land currently providing access to the beach is adjacent to the eastern boundary of the Riu Paradise Island Hotel.
A statement from Atlantis said that public access through the property has always been on a temporary basis.
The statement said: “In 2014, the ownership of Cabbage Beach was transferred from Atlantis (Brookfield) to a subsidy (sic) of Access Industries. As the new owners intend to develop that property, the relevant government agencies were so advised and all stakeholders are being given notice as required under any agreements that may have been in place with respect to access over the property in question.
“It should be noted that public notice with respect to terms and conditions of access have been posted for years, advising that access for commercial or recreational purposes over the privately owned property in question has always been on a temporary basis and as authorized by the owners”.
The Office of the Prime Minister and the relevant ministers - Tourism, Transport and Aviation and Investments - have been involved in the discussions and advised of the closure, according to Atlantis’ legal team.
Access Industries is the owner of the One&Only Ocean Club resort on Paradise Island, which is undergoing a $50m expansion. Work on that started in June and the resort is currently closed.
Comments
banker 8 years, 7 months ago
If the crime situation deteriorates, I'm willing to bet that access to Paradise Island will be only for Bahamians who work there or have business there. That's what you get when Foreign Direct Investment is the sole engine of the economy. You have to sell the best bits off, and are lost to the natives forever.
Can anyone else see that the path that the Bahamas is on, is totally unsustainable and headed for collapse?
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrades how many times have I sat down at my bloggers piano to sing the tunes, telling the stories about how citizens, residents and our roaming visitors, are being denied public access to the people's "public beaches" - only to be laughed at.
They tried putting locks on gates to block public access beaches in Freeport, and you knows what the people did with them locks. Thy CUT them damn locks the hell off and swung them gates wide open. Don't believe me - go ask King's Counsel Freddy, if it true or not? I tel, you something else.
Don't wait for a PLP, or red shirts government to order the removal of them damn locks - they all sleeping on same mattresses with these greedy Gates Lock-Masters - and the mattress is all lumpy, from you know what kinds - currency.
banker 8 years, 7 months ago
Paradise Island will be first. The night watchmen and gatekeepers will not be at the beaches. They will take their stand at the toll gates at the base of the bridge. Do you notice the increased police presence at Marina Village on a Friday night?
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrade Banker, not sure if you're laughing at me or not? These beaches must see clear and unmistakable legislation to make all clear to all persons that you CANNOT lock-out public beaches access. I tell no lie, that they tried this same bullshi% in Freeport.
banker 8 years, 7 months ago
Not laughing. Legislation or no, when push comes to shove, Bahamians WILL BE locked out one way or another. The beaches may have access, but if access is stopped at Paradise Island, like a gated community, then access doesn't matter, if you can't get on PI.
Had a client who lives on PI (in the same complex that the head of ScotiaBank used to live) that had his tyres for his sports car stolen even though they were behind a high wall, and chained to a post. He was pushing for the properties owners to "create a barrier" at the bridge so that people with no business on PI could not get in.
As is, we no longer own the hilltops or the beaches. We have no means of "achieving the American Dream". We have a bunch of thugs adopting the Fiddy Cent ethos of "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" by the gun. We are marginalised as citizens, and no shouts in the face of the Prime Minister -- "WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH!". And the PM is in London telling folks we want more of this FDI crap that locks us out of patrimony.
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrade Banker, in the book of the Acts we read where, not only Jesus raised the dead. Paul it is said, raised a young man from the dead. Some were healed just by being in the shadow of a passing apostle
What we need, is for a fresh face Comrade "Paul" to step forward to begin, the not too of an impossible task of "uniting" the healing process our beloved Bahamaland.
He/she, need not even be with a "Moses" resume. Just be of honesty, and for all the people.
It has also been said that the poorest domestic grandmother of one of our nation's richest individuals, was so inspired to seek better lives for her grandchildren, after attending a public campaign meeting, where she got her glimpse of the very young Lynden Pindling, for the very first time.
banker 8 years, 7 months ago
And therein lies the problem. The idea behind ameliorating the ills of the Bahamas, is not to make a select few rich, but to elevate firstly, the lowest of the low, and then make us all capable of a dignified standard of living and a way of life.
The Bahamian saviour worked his miracles and made the blind deaf, and crippled blind, and the smart were instantly made deaf and dumb. And most were made just plain intellectually challenged. And the Bahamian saviour called this his paradise, because it suited him fine and enriched his coffers.
Nay, what we need is a selfless individual who will not get rich by leading this country. The greatest step to remediation of this tortured land, is to fix the economy. Get rid of the fixed, useless Bahamian dollar and dollarize the economy. Throw out the dinousaurs like Fred Mitchell, and give residency and business licences to any foreigner who wants to brave our idiotic government. Open the society. Tear down the shutters and boards around the government and let the people have freedom of information. Empower all technologically, and jail all of those who have stolen even a penny from the public purse. Or banish them to work in the salt flats of Inagua.
No one needs to get nailed to a cross, or thrown from a horse by bolt of lightening. We just need a real patriot in the highest office. However, such a platform would guarantee that he will never be elected. So those who can, will pack their georgie bundles, and wait for the next plane off the limestone rock. The rest will suffer and suffer grievously.
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrade Banker, no secret I am not a friend of the red party's politics but I do believe that Papa Hubert, left the highest office - with his honesty still intact.
asiseeit 8 years, 7 months ago
Tal, do you think the same will be true of our current P.M.? I do not.
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrade, yes i do. None have or will ever be evaluated to the highest office of the land, as saints, or leave as saints. All are like us - of the flesh.
sansoucireader 8 years, 7 months ago
Remember the recent plan to raise the bridge toll due to VAT?
concernedcitizen 8 years, 7 months ago
As a Bahamian I used to have a problem w/ this but no longer .We cuss loudly ,harass guest and leave filth on any beach we go .I had to visit immigration when it was on Hawkins hill ,I used the stairs instead of the elevator ,for 3 weeks on 3 different visit I saw the same KFC box w/ the bones on the stairs .I live on a Family Island 2 weeks ago I was behind a car going from one settlement to another for 3 to 4 miles the parents had their child throwing food containers ,chip bags ,soda cans out of the window "cleaning the car " I do small construction, home repairs .I work w/ one friend,helper .Everyday he has a ginger ale w/ his lunch and every single morning I find the can wherever he ate on who,s ever property,Sometimes w/ a garbage can a mere yard or two away .I have asked him numerous times nicely not to do this but it never changes ,I find his food container/can ball up in peoples boat ,stuffed in a block but it is always where he ate .
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrade Concerned Citizen, are you any different when you walked by the same KFC box w/ the bones on the stairs like 3 or 4 times, not thinking to pick it up and toss in the garbage. Would you teach a child act this way? Obviously, you must have acted likewise with the visible beaches garbage.
That is the negative mindset that can eventually bring this nation to her economic drowning knees. It is NOT really someone else's fault all the time - is it?
concernedcitizen 8 years, 7 months ago
I pick up behind myself , I also walk 4 miles 4 days a week and pick up stuff ,however I do not pick up others left over food or diapers ,yes I see full diapers on the roadside on the Family Island I live,however you can feel free to pick up whatever you choose .
Greentea 8 years, 7 months ago
Fire him
John 8 years, 7 months ago
This man is such a blatant liar..."the same KFC box with bones on the stairs for 3 weeks.." and I guess he has DNA to prove it.
concernedcitizen 8 years, 7 months ago
Believe what you want ,now w/ camera phones it won,t be hard to prove how we treat our surroundings .You could be right some slob could put a different KFC box on the exact stair 3 weeks in a row ,,Lmao ,your a funny guy
jacko 8 years, 7 months ago
This the best of us rite here ,sit behind the key boards while we getting the stick !wake dam up Bahamains !smt
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
Beaches are all free below high water mark ........................ except there is some new PLP laws
bahamian242 8 years, 7 months ago
Under the law they will have to make the beach accessible to the Public! Even while construction is ongoing! They will have to a covered path! No ands, ifs or buts on that one!
concernedcitizen 8 years, 7 months ago
Evidently you don,t know the law ,developers and Bahamians can buy property and own the beach up to the high water mark
asiseeit 8 years, 7 months ago
Go to any beach on a Monday here in Nassau and the situation will be made clear as day, the majority of Bahamians have zero pride in their environment. I would hate to own property that Bahamians could traverse and post up on for the simple reason that I know they will degrade it and leave it looking like a dump. How can you fault any property owner that wants to keep his property tidy and clean. We all know the majority of Bahamians have no respect for their own yards much less anyone else own. I would want to block access myself.
Sickened 8 years, 7 months ago
Damn right! It's hard to put down a towel on the beach without first burying some used condoms! For those of you that thinks it funny... IT NOT! Its friggin disgusting. But at least some of us a using condoms.
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrade Sickened, does you use one them Penis or Vagina condoms?
by TalRussell
Sickened 8 years, 7 months ago
Well, I'll give you a hint... I don't know what the hell it is you are holding in your hands. I hope that thing is closed on at least one end or else it is totally useless and would explain the high rate of pregnancy in The Bahamas.
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrade Tal looks like a white woman !
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 7 months ago
You all getting all work up about this little access road, i wonder if you know that where RIU and Britannia and Atlantis is now, was all public access from the harbour. You could walk from Three Bays over to Cabbage Beach and now you got Ocean Club blocking you off. No one say boo-cat when they were selling this land to the furreners. Just like crawfish - no one ate that till the tourists came. I used to use the crawfish tail for fish bait.
licks2 8 years, 7 months ago
It does not matter what any person on this site. . .or wherever in this country, NO PERSON OR COMPANY CAN OWN A BEACH IN THE BAHAMAS!! Period!!
High water mark in the Bahamas is the line that separates beach sand from brown soil or whatever on the normal Bahamian beach front property!! This is not up for discussion at all. . . ALL BEACHES ARE PUBLIC PROPERTY!
I had an experience with a Security Guard at Baha Mar who asked me to leave the beach because I did not have on a colored wrist tag that identified me and my family as paying guests which had right to use their beach.
I informed my family not to go onto the property of the hotel above the high water mark and informed the Security Guard that we would stay on that beach as long as we wished and if he and his bosses had a problem with that they can call the Police to remove us. . .of course we were left alone to enjoy the beach to our hearts content. . .right along with their paying guests!! One bunch of little "black cherrins" were running all over the beach along with guests. . .having a good old time!
None of the persons at that property bothered us further as long as we did not enter their property!!
There is no law that I know of that mandates property owners to give public access through their properties! That property on PI can very well close their property to the public. . .but they cannot close the beach to the public.
We should organize mass outings on that beach by boats and continue to do so until the property owners agree to return public access!!
So if they want to close their property to us. . .perhaps then we can swam Cabbage Beach- our beach enmass until they decide to do so!
concernedcitizen 8 years, 7 months ago
Perhaps you should inform the the world of your new definition of "high water mark " After that you can contact all the lawyers that have conveyed beach front property here ,of which I was an owner from 1987 until 2005 ,and tell them their conveyances are all in error and void ,Then you can go down to the register generals office w/ a sharpie and change all beach front owners deeds .After you finish the Bahamas head to Florida w/ your legal knowledge and your sharpie if your not imprisoned by then .
TruePeople 8 years, 7 months ago
Bey you really think Bahamians guh mass in boat off cabbage beach to reclaim that shhht.... Bey you musse ein from round here if you think that eva gone happen.... really
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 7 months ago
And since liks2 is talking legal stuff the Government can acquire the land itself and hold it for exactly that purpose. Public access. The Government would only have to pay the market value but it will choose not to do it because they really don't care about the locals. That said I agree with those who say that Bahamians are too disgusting to be allowed to go where the tourists go. It just ain't good for business.
Greentea 8 years, 7 months ago
I always pause when I hear Bahamians generalizing about Bahamians and 'their' nasty habits. Aren't you talking about yourslf? I am a Bahamian who cares for the land. I love this country and try to do what I can, but as a people we do tend to pass the buck and think somebody else some genie I guess, will always pick it up, clean it up and wipe up what we dirty and discard. Bahamians should unquestionably have a right of access to any beach in the Bahamas and they should also be held accountable for that right and supported. I think beaches need to have adequate receptacles that are routinely emptied and that beaches need to be policed to enforce some standards. Only few people will actually take the garbage they make at a beach home or to a dumpster - the others need support, enforcement and consequences if they can't uphold the rules in place that are designed to protect places open for the mutual enjoyment of all. If u think freedom means you can do whatever you like on a beach intended for mutual enjoyment of all and act that way- you need to be escorted to your car or the nearest bust stop because it (society and community)don't work like that.
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrade Greentea, I recall it was back in October/November 2014, when the House of Assembly, voted to establish something called the Public Parks and Beaches Authority’ which would be responsible for controlling, planning, designing, developing, administering, managing and maintaining public parks and public beaches designated by the Authority.
I'm guessing like everything, it is under-staffed and under-budgeted, lacks the required equipment and machinery, and the will required, for proper beaches supervision, swimmers saftey and security, development and enforcement.
But rest assured, it will be not be found to be lacking in being over-party in power - top heavy in management and fully politicized.
What should have been launched as the first of a fantastic "mostly volunteers" authority.
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 7 months ago
Greentea: Just pass by Montague Beach or Saunders beach on Tuesday October 13th and report back on what you see.
John 8 years, 7 months ago
Since Atlantis claims they sold the property, it is not too late for the government to require both owners to provide a 30 foot access between the two property for access and parking. BUT NO, this (Bahamian) government is in the back pocket of too many foreign investors. At your expense. Remember when Atlantis use to tow cars of beach users off the island on every weekend and every holiday. Then they tried to rope off the entire beach to prevent boaters from accessing it. And there are still private home owners who sic guard dogs on persons using the beach in front of their properties, and there were occasions when even police men, either ignorant of the law or on the take, were called to chase Bahamians off the beach, a number of times to the dismay of tourists. Then they wonder why our young people are acting like animals. They are the ones who keep caging them. Get out and stay out! Watch out Junkanoo Beach and Goodman's Bay, your fate is near!
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