• No reasons why application ‘refused’ 

• Would create initial 160-job impact

• Three EIAs done; site moved twice

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Government has rejected the North Andros mining and land reclamation project proposed by the Symonette Group’s principal that would have created an initial 160 jobs and extra $100,00 per week spending impact.

Phylicia Hanna-Woods, the Government’s director of investments, informed the Bahamian attorney for Cameron Symonette and his business partner, Ted Baker, on August 30 that the Davis administration’s National Economic Council (NEC) had “refused” to grant the necessary approvals for the project to move forward.

No reasons for the decision were provided in the short three paragraph letter sent by the Bahamas Investment Authority (BIA) to Bryan Glinton, attorney and partner at the Glinton, Sweeting & O’Brien law firm, who represents Bahamas Materials Company and Morgan’s Bluff Development Group.

“Reference is made to the application submitted on behalf of your clients, Bahamas Materials Company and Morgan’s Bluff Development Group, requesting approval for the captioned project,” Mrs Hanna-Woods wrote, citing the North Andros Mine and Land Reclamation Project.

“I am to advise that the National Economic Council at its recent meeting refused the application to establish an inland mining operation situated on Crown Land in the northern part of Andros.” Tribune Business inquiries established that the letter, which it obtained yesterday, is genuine.

Mr Symonette declined to comment when contacted by Tribune Business yesterday. However, sources familiar with developments, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly, said that while the Symonette Group chief executive and Mr Baker were “hugely disappointed” in the Government’s decision they are not ready to give up on their limestone aggregate mining and land reclamation ambitions just yet.

It is understood they plan to ask the Government to set out the reasons for why the project was rejected, which will enable them to address any concerns or outstanding questions that the NEC and BIA officials have in a bid to remove any approvals obstacles that remain. Mrs Hanna-Woods’ letter, short and to the point, gives no explanation at all.

“Nobody has communicated a reason to them, and there are thousands of people in North Andros this creates opportunities for. They don’t see any competing opportunities,” one source familiar with the situation told this newspaper.

The Bahamas Materials Company and Morgan’s Bluff Development Group principals have invested significant time and resources in building support for their proposal in the North Andros communities that would benefit most from it. Mr Symonette and his representatives held a Town Meeting on the project in Lowe Sound on August 23, just one week before the Government’s rejection, during which they voiced disappointment at the “misinformation” on their plans.

“We still are challenged with getting factual information out to people,” one told attendees. “There’s still a challenge with misinformation, and sometimes intentional misinformation.” The sources of this “intentional misinformation” were not identified, with Mr Symonette focusing on explaining the project’s economic and social impacts to North Androsians, as well as answer all questions they had, during an hour-long event.

“Simply put, what Ted and I are proposing to do is mine limestone in North Andros to use as building materials in New Providence and the US,” the Symonette Group chief explained. “As the mining phases is completed...., that enhances the real estate value. We have set out a phased plan for development.

“How does Andros benefit from what we’re proposing? First and foremost, there’s the employment. We intend to hire 160 people over the first few years of the project, and these are careers that will pay an average of $1,000 a week. These are not seasonal careers or careers that will be affected by COVID. These are careers that pay every week of the year and last for decades. The hope is we will provide careers for you and your family for many decades to come.

“We are confident these positions can be filled by North Androsians, and we intend to provide fully funded training both here in North Andros and internationally as required.” Mr Symonette also pledged that “for every tonne we mine” a royalty fee will be generated and placed into a foundation so that the monies remain in North Andros “and benefit the entire community”, helping to finance hurricane shelters and other physical improvements.

This “funding mechanism” would be directed and controlled by North Andros residents, he added, while explaining that himself and Mr Baker are “seeking to lease.. and now own” the 5,200 acre site they are targeting for their calcium carbonate/limestone. The site in question is the now-disused former Water & Sewerage Corporation wellfield site, which has been contaminated by salt water due to hurricane-related storm surges in years past.

The Water & Sewerage Corporation also stopped barging water to New Providence over 15 years ago. Bahamas Materials Company plans to divide the site into sections, mining one at a time over an eight-year period, with the entire mining operation projected to last 55 years. As each section is completed, land will be reclaimed and made available for real estate development.

Morgan’s Bluff Development Group will be the entity responsible for the real estate side, and Mr Symonette confirmed the intention to create “shareholding opportunities” for Bahamians and North Androsians in this company if the project is given approval to proceed.

At the meeting, he also identified spin-off entrepreneurial opportunities that would be created for North Androsians by Bahamas Materials Company’s activities such as concrete block and ready-mix plants. And the additional $100,00 per week injected into the North Andros economy by the development and its employees would boost the likes of gas stations, food stores and barbers.

Some $53m in wages would be paid over the project’s first ten years if approved, while economic diversification and foreign exchange export earnings will also receive a boost. “The project is not going to be concerned with the ocean,” Mr Symonette told the Lowe Sound meeting.

“This is an inland project by design, and we believe that decision is paramount for the health of the fresh water lens in North Andros. Environmental protection is where we have done the most work. In the last few years we have installed 53 test wells in North Andros and around the project area to-date. We have completed three Environmental Impact Assessments, and have moved the project twice as a result.

“We are not seeking to own Morgan’s Bluff. We are not seeking to mine Morgan’s Bluff. We are not seeking to take over and monopolise Morgan’s Bluff. This is a public port that should remain in public hands. We’ve put that in writing to the Government of The Bahamas.”

Mr Symonette reiterated to attendees that Bahamas Materials Company’s proposal was an economic, and not a political, project. “This is not an FNM project, this is not a PLP project. This is a project that will last many decades through both FNM and PLP administrations. It needs to be completely supported and understood by Androsians on both sides of the political divide.”