By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Residents and politicians alike are slamming as “absolutely crazy” the excessive commercial exploitation at one of the few waterfront New Providence sites dedicated for Bahamians and their families to enjoy.

Loretta Butler-Turner, who helped drive Fort Montagu Park’s restoration and clean-up when she was the area’s MP between 2007 and 2012, told Tribune Business the location has now become “a free for all” for multiple commercial uses which is threatening “to defeat the purpose of all the work done” with persons “abusing it and doing whatever they want”.

This newspaper can confirm that last week’s advisory and video by the Beaches and Parks Authority, warning that “unauthorised and excessive” billboard signage will be removed to reduce “visual pollution” across New Providence, came around two weeks after Mrs Butler-Turner met with McKell Bonaby, its executive chairman, to detail the concerns she and multiple residents have over Montagu Park’s deterioration.

The situation sparked a Change.org petition, which has already obtained more than 400 signatures, and was launched by Bruce Raine, founder of International Private Banking Systems (IPBS), the Bahamas-based financial services software developer, in a bid to pressure the businesses who have erected multiple billboards at Montagu Beach to “smarten up.... and take the damned things down”.

“The Bahamas has been blessed by God with one of the most beautiful seascapes in the world, yet our greedy business community would prefer the island’s commuting public not to look at the seascape with all of its beauty and soul-setting tranquility, and instead gaze into their mismash of disparate signs promoting an equal mishmash of product offerings,” the Change.org petition blasted.

“But the public can fight back, and this petition is to ask that you take note of the business establishments that jam these gaudy signs right in your face and determine to boycott them by not buying any of their products. They will smarten up, one can hope, and take the damned things down.”

Besides the excessive billboard advertising, preventing motorists and their passengers enjoying views out over Montagu Bay, other concerns relating to the area’s increased use and commercial exploitation at the expense of the public’s interest and enjoyment have also been voiced. They include:

* The presence of multiple restaurant, food and drink, and souvenir vendors at a location supposed to have been set aside for the quiet enjoyment of Bahamians, their families and visitors. When Tribune Business visited yesterday, the generator supplying one of the restaurants located at the western end near Fort Montagu was humming away supplying it with electricity

At least three different vendors, selling what appeared to be a range of souveniurs, were starting to pack up and remove their tents and coverings. Mrs Butler-Turner, Mr Raine and others have questioned whether they have permission from the Parks and Beaches Authority to be there, or any other government agency, and if they possess the necessary permits such as Business Licences and food handling.

* Other issues involve the use of the public dock by tour and excursion boats and other commercial operators. Mr Raine and Adrian White, the St Anne’s MP, told Tribune Business that commercial vessels are frequently pulling up to the dock to embark and disembark visitors, who are taken on harbour tours or to nearby cays such as Athol Island and Rose Island.

Besides gaining what is effectively a free ride at Bahamian taxpayer expense, given there is no indication they are paying to use the dock, Mr Raine said it is also interfering with the public’s enjoyment of Fort Montagu Park. This newspaper has seen photos of traffic congestion, with the park’s eastern entrance almost completely blocked, by multiple buses dropping off visitors to the boats.

The IPBS founder, and petition organiser, also asserted that the Bahamian public is being left with little to no parking spaces at Fort Montagu Park because these are all being taken up by the crew and destination staff who serve these boats, with many vehicles parked there from 7am and their owners not returning to reclaim them until 7pm.

Mr Bonaby, when contacted by Tribune Business yesterday, asked this newspaper to send him a list of detailed questions on the Authority’s billboard signage removal and clean-up campaign at Fort Montagu Park and elsewhere throughout New Providence.

This newspaper complied, but no response was received before press time last night, so it could not be determined which billboards had been erected legally and are either paying rent or a fee to the Authority for their presence. However, even if all were legitimately there, their number appears excessive as they almost completely obstruct views of the water from the road.

When Tribune Business visited the site yesterday, billboards present ranged from those advertising consumer goods such as Heineken beer to promotions for the likes of Aliv, real estate companies and realtors, RF Bank & Trust, and the Windsor Lakes residential development being constructed on the other side of the island in south-western New Providence.

Mrs Butler-Turner, though, in an interview with Tribune Business confirmed she had brought Fort Montagu Park’s condition and the concerns of residents to Mr Bonaby’s attention when they met two to three weeks ago. “He said to me at the time that he was just finishing up some other stuff, and I should give him about a month,” she recalled.

“I haven’t seen anything removed yet, so I’m hoping they proceed with that matter quickly. It’s crazy. It’s absolutely crazy. This is not the purpose of that space.” Remembering how the area “was in really poor condition” during the last Ingraham administration’s term in office, when she was both a Cabinet minister and MP, Mrs Butler-Turner said she helped assemble a group of “like-minded persons” to transform it.

They included then-Atlantis owner Kerzner International plus the Higgs & Johnson law firm and other major Bahamian corporate names. Mrs Butler-Turner said the late Sir Sol Kerzner, the Atlantis founder and visionary, personally donated $2.5m to fund the Montagu Beach restoration.

“It was an amazing job and so beautiful,” she said. “But it’s just a free for all now. It’s really an eyesore, and you have tour boats using the dock. Let me tell you: We are going to defeat the purpose of all that work we had done in 2011 and 2012. It’s become neglected. People are throwing up all types [of construction]. I counted about three restaurants, food vendors....

“I compiled everything. I have the photos of the boats, the vessels, everything, and when I met with Mr Bonaby I gave him the whole package. I said to him the signage has definitely got to go. I don’t know about those businesses; who has licensed them, who has given them authority to be there. We have Potter’s Cay, we have the official fish market [at Montagu]. I don’t know anyone else who should have a licence to be there.

“It looks like everything is out of control,” Mrs Butler-Turner said. “It’s not supposed to be a marketplace. It’s supposed to be a green space. Could you imagine us going to Central Park in New York and having all that stuff over the place?

“I must commend Mr Bonaby. He does seem to be on it. I don’t know how far it’s going to go. I believe that we need to have a voice from higher up to say this is not acceptable and not just mine.” Mrs Butler-Turner also challenged why businesses were continuing to erect billboard signs to advertise their products and services when they could instead make easier - and better - use of social media.

Mr Raine, too, argued that the proliferation of billboards similar to those presently at Fort Montagu Park is damaging New Providence’s appearance. “It’s the whole of the island,” he told Tribune Business. “The island, it looks like a garbage can and it is a garbage can. I hope they do a clean sweep of the island and it never comes back up.”

Mr White, the Opposition MP for St Anne’s, told this newspaper that Fort Montagu Park looks more like Junkanoo Beach than the green space enjoyed by Bahamian families and visitors alike that it was intended to be. “Montagu Park is one of the few true open spaces on the waterfront with public access for Bahamians to enjoy,” he said.

“The primary concern is the over-commercialisation of Montagu Park, one, through the excessive display blocking the scenic view over East Bay Street by advertising from every type of commercial entity - even from real estate entities encouraging people to move west for better living, which is a complete insult for people who live in the east and have made it a pleasant community,” he argued.

“We need to think of Bahamians more than we think of the books sometimes and definitely, in a limited and congested island like New Providence, preserve, protect and revere the very few green spaces along the waterfront for Bahamians to enjoy peacefully with their families.”

The Beaches and Parks Authority, in its statement, said: “We’ve entered phase one of removing unauthorised and excessive billboard signage across New Providence, a key step in our fight against visual pollution. This effort was implemented by our executive chairman, McKell Bonaby, to bring structure to billboard advertising, reduce clutter in high traffic areas and revamp our beautiful island.”

The removal efforts began at Montagu Beach Park. Business owners were advised that unauthorised signs will be removed and stored at the Authority’s head office, where they will be made available for collection.

“We are about to start our phase one removal of billboards process. This will combat visual pollution in New Providence. Business owners are advised to take note of these upcoming changes. All removed signs will be stored and available for collection at our head office on Fire Trail Road west,” said the Beaches and Park Authority.