By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

EXUMA and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper said he is pleased that the government has terminated its deal for Bahamas Moorings Ltd to install moorings around Exuma’s seabed, adding that he is not surprised locals expressed outrage over the project.

“Let me just tell you, as the member parliament for Exuma, I’m pleased with the outcome,” he told reporters yesterday. “Whilst we encourage entrepreneurship, there is a correct way to do things. We have been blessed with a great environment, pristine surroundings in the Exumas.”

“Whilst we know as the government has laid out that moorings are desirable and helpful to preserving marine life and helpful to reducing damage to the ecosystem and the seabed, there’s a correct way of doing things and we want to ensure that there are the appropriate approvals in place by the environmental experts, by the Port Department, because we want them to be installed safely.”

“Of course, overall, we want to ensure that there is consultation with Exumians led by local government and therefore, the outrage was not surprising to me.”

Bahamas Moorings’ actions drew scrutiny when the public learned the company was installing moorings/anchorages and associated infrastructure in Exuma without the required approvals, prompting a cease and desist order.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said on Wednesday that the matter had forced officials to review marine policies, claiming they still cannot determine how the project advanced without certain approvals.

The Tribune has reported that many involved in the Bahamas Moorings deal have close links to the Office of the Prime Minister.

Sandra Kemp, deputy communications director in the Prime Minister’s Office, signed as a witness to the signing of Bahamas Moorings’ 21-year lease on the company’s behalf. She is the wife of Philip Kemp, one of the two principals in the company.

Mr Davis did not address her role in his speech, only saying that investigations are ongoing.

Former Bahamas National Trust (BNT) executive director Eric Carey has challenged the government’s environmental justifications for the now-aborted deal, saying many of the 49 sites selected for the lease did not impact or cover “sensitive areas”.