BY ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

THE Yntegra Group has hit out at what it claims is “misinformation” about the $200m Rosewood Exuma Resort project.

The response comes in the wake of comments by the Save Exuma Alliance, with founding member David Hocher, also owner of Staniel Cay Yacht Club and Makers Air, questioning whether the Rosewood project was a right fit for Big Sampson Cay or if a development of that scale belonged elsewhere. 

Mr Hoher also claimed inconsistencies between the plan for the site and what some of Yntegra’s principals have said in public meetings. He said: “If the public, like myself, can’t look at a plan made available by Physical Planning and have confidence in it, what else will we not have confidence in? It’s a big issue.”

Addressing environmental concerns, Yntegra Group maintained that its partner has obtained a Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification.

“We take environmental concerns very seriously. It is part of the lives and livelihoods of Exumians,” Yntegra said.

“Yntegra and its resort partner share the core values of effective sustainable management and environmental responsibility. Yntegra is collaborating on a $200M project with a global, award-winning, ultra-luxury resort partner that has a proven track record in responsible development and environmental sustainability and received a Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification.”

Yntegra added: “We have teams of best-in-class environmental consultants and engineers working with us. BRON, our Bahamian environmental consultants, has completed more than 1200 projects across more than 60 islands and cays in The Bahamas and the Caribbean. They are well known and well respected in The Bahamas and the region.”

Yntegra said the spread of what it claimed was false information is being used to incite “outrage and fear and casting doubt on the vital regulatory work of government agencies”.

Noting that The Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP) are “respected professionals,” Yntegra requested “that the process be allowed to proceed according to the rules and regulations and that DEPP be allowed to do their job.” They added that they have received approval of their master plan from the Town Planning Committee.

“All real estate development projects in The Bahamas follow processes that are developed and implemented by experts in the relevant areas,” Yntegra said. “This ensures that developments are in the best interest of the people of The Bahamas and will benefit everyone.

“Developments have a master plan that shows how the site will be used and the density of the buildings on the site to ensure that the land is suitable for the designated use at a particular location. Several approvals must happen before any project starts, including a Town Planning Committee review of the master plan. The review process includes the submission of a master plan, which is reviewed by the Committee, and a public consultation meeting hosted by the Committee that enables them to hear the feedback from the community firsthand.

“Yntegra followed all requirements from the Town Planning Committee. The Committee reviewed the master plan and incorporated the feedback from the public consultation process and we obtained the approval of the master plan.”

Yntegra said approval processes are coming along and they are still undergoing the process for approval to obtain the Certificate of Environmental Clearance from DEPP.

Responding to claims by SEA, Yntegra stated that “the people behind SEA have their own motivations for pushing back on our project”.

Yntegra added: “We believe that when damaging misinformation could result in the loss of hundreds of job opportunities and hold back much-needed community development is intentionally spread, whoever is behind it should be held to account. Our focus for this project is adhering to the requirements for all the necessary government approvals, allowing those processes to take their course, while collaborating with the community in preparation for a project that will bring long-term positive economic and community benefits.”