By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

JOB creation will be the determining factor in the fight over the development of Lighthouse Point, according to one resident in Central and South Eleuthera.

In a series of interviews with The Tribune this week, various residents from the community have argued that the “ultimate voice of the people” must be heard, and once that occurs, “respected and encouraged.”

Lighthouse Point, a privately owned 700-acre peninsula comprising the southern tip of Eleuthera, has remained in the public spotlight for much of the past three months, with conservation groups launching a massive preservation campaign for the property.

Disney Cruise Lines has proposed to develop a destination at the site.

Organisations such as the Bahamas National Trust and the One Eleuthera Foundation, along with many other environmentalists and activist groups, are instead calling for sustainable development at the site.

“We want what we can see, not what they say they can get other people to do for us,” said Roscoe Thompson, 57, of Wemyss Bight, when contacted for comment.

Insisting the public comments made by groups opposing the Disney development have been unbalanced and void of true public support, Mr Thompson said sustainable job creation and community development are what residents are after.

“We are long-suffering here in Eleuthera,” he told The Tribune. “They are complaining about Disney’s plans, but we are looking for a way to feed our families and keep our kids here.”

“This is my view, it doesn’t have to be right, but it’s mine.

“There are very little jobs here and we need all we can get. One Eleuthera has been around for years and did very little to develop anything around here.

“Now, we have a company stepping up to add jobs and now they want to speak up,” he added. “It just seems shady to me.”

Mr Thompson said he, like many other residents, view One Eleuthera and its coalition of environmental groups as nothing more than a “last minute bid” by special interest groups looking to “protect their playground.”

Mr Thompson claimed residents have sat back for years, hoping “donors would smile on Eleuthera.”

“Nothing happened, Now, One Eleuthera is marching all around talking about how they have these backers, these donors who are interested in doing for Eleuthera.”

“Where have they been? That is my point, They popped up when the talk about Disney did. Then everywhere was ‘Save Lighthouse Point.’”

He continued: “I have no personal problem with One Eleuthera, the way I see it, if Disney wants to come in here, One Eleuthera should have welcomed them.”

“They didn’t wait to hear Disney pitch before bad-mouthing them. If One Eleuthera has this money, they could invest it in another part of the island; the more the merrier. Both can coexist and many other investors. I don’t see why we should be cross firing,” Mr Thompson said.

Another resident, Bernadette Sweeting, 50, of Green Castle, said despite the perceived silence, “the true Eleuthera” is totally on board with the Disney development.

“You hear them on the radio, you see them in the papers non-stop; that is how they work,” she said, referring to the groups opposing the Disney development.

“But that isn’t coming from the people who really live here. The mothers and the fathers that have to sit back and watch their babies grow up and move away.

“That’s not the story from the young people who can’t find work and leave school to nothing.

“When you speak to the true Eleutheran, you will get the picture that Disney coming here is what we have wanted,” she said.

Mrs Sweeting said in the lead up to her decision to publicly back the Disney development, she “considered” the proposals presented by “all sides.”

“I didn’t rule out anything, One Eleuthera made my decision for me,” she said. “It was the things they didn’t answer and the things they wouldn’t touch.”

According to Mrs Sweeting, One Eleuthera in its presentation to residents sidestepped questions raised over their finances.

“Anyone with sense knows that when you are speaking to investments and major development, money has to be there. When we asked, the answers were funny; they didn’t tell us much, so it left more questions than answers.”

“We waited for Disney to hear both sides, we wanted to be fair. Having met with the president of Disney last week, I am comfortable that they are serious about their intentions,” she said.

“They talked about the low density development and conservation, sustainable design and business practices, public access, job and economic vitality and celebrating our culture.

“That was all built around improving life for us in Central and South Eleuthera,” she added.

The Tribune understands that residents and groups that support Disney’s proposal for Lighthouse Point are expected to launch a campaign of their own, with a view to inspire like-minded Bahamians to publicly back the development.

Earlier this month, One Eleuthera’s President and CEO Shaun Ingraham warned that any exclusive development at Lighthouse Point would cut circulation of ground traffic into South Eleuthera.

In those comments he asserted the move could cause further economic harm to a community already “suffering enough right now”.

He said his organisation’s plan for the area would make use of zones to stimulate the local economy while also protecting the area.