The whole of Grand Bahama is completely flat comprising of non-tropical pine barrens with low lying foliage beneath, sadly damaged by repetitive forest fires. The point is this is not “prostine” land, hence why Freeport exists in the first place, as GB was designated our “Industrial” Island in the hope of exploiting the assets it dioes possess, namely deep water and proximity to the US from a commercial perspective, precisely what Oban has said it is looking to do. Yes it has a nice beach running along the South Coast, but my understanding is the piping will run beneath and emerge inland away from the beach where the actual facility will be built, unlike either of the existing two facilities that are both on the Coast.

This Guy is a true “Nutter” spouting off complete and utter nonsense ... and it is distressing that both Dailies saw fit to publish on their respective front pages! I am all for environment, but I detest dishonesty, indeed outright lying in the public domain, as put simply, it is dangerous in a culture of free speech by spreading misinformation in an effort to exploit the less informed. In brief, there is no “gift” of Crown Land occurring from what I can gather, indeed a rent of well over a Million $’s per year is to be paid by way of Lease, not freehold, for what we Bahamians would refer to as “scrub land” ... anything but pristine! Further there is nothing but wide open Ocean to the “South” of the proposed Site ... and Sweeting’s Cay is 20 miles away!! Such lack of basic Geography by a “Teacher” no less certainly explains why are our educational system is in such a dire state today! Worse, by espousing: “end the tired and broken “neo-plantation” development model”, this “Teacher” actually infers a return to slavery ... highlighting regrettably that this “Teacher” is not very astute in English and/or History either!!! As for anyone being held for “ransom”, this is ridiculous and nothing more than exaggerated hyperbole, but not as disgusting as using unfounded reference to people suffering from cancer to misrepresent a point of view. Indeed, if this “political” Organization that originated from a dispute between 2 Billionaire Neighbors in Lyford Cay is to have any future credibility, a Resignation of this “Nutter” is in immediate order.

For the sake of our International Reputation, Govt. can not simply renege on this Deal on account of outcry from various Special Interest Groups opposing, none, or very few at least, appear to actually be from East End Grand Bahama. All Govt. needs to do is work with the Developer to ensure Best Prcatices are adhered to and all effort is made to mitigate any Enviromental Impacts. By doing so, this Project will be “head and shoulders” above the other 2 Oil Facilities on Grand Bahama and in turn, will hopefully help the Island emerge from the Economic Depression that has engulfed the Island for well over 10 years now. As for the nature of the Project itself, namely Oil, Grand Bahama is our Island designated for such industrial development, so unless we are going to put a “Closed for Business” on an already “depressed” Island, we need to work to not only ensure Onan is a success, but encourage many more Oban’s to invest in Grand Bahama.

I am not too sure why we are so “willing to please” the EU, as our primary trading Partners our the US, China, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and possibly still the UK, the only actual EU Member, who is actually in the process of leaving, so why accommodate?!?

This appears to be a well reasoned position, unlike a lot of the irrational hysteria being promoted for who knows what ulterior motives and agendas other than economic development through diversification, which at the end of the day is the only "honest" way to address the crime epidemic we are embroiled in due to lack of employment opportunities.

Finally, for the sake of our Country, some realistic and "unbiased" reporting.

Thank you.

The only way to save Grand Bahama and perhaps our whole crime ridden Nation is with many more Investment Projects, but who in their right mind would want to “help” us given the ungratefulness the Oban and Harbour Island Project have received. I just hope the Money behind both Projects are prepared to stay the course and understand we are imploading from within as Victims of our home grown Black Crab Syndrome.

Is “Save The Bays” a legit Group, as with this kind of flamboyant rhetoric from it’s Head, it sincerely begs the question, as he also espoused in The Guardian that East End represents the most pristine and beautiful part of a The Bahamas. No disrespect to East Enders, but is he joking, as anyone driving East of Freeport can attest for themselves, this is completely flat scrub land devastated by hurricanes and fires with eerily dead pine tree trunks more akin to armageddon.

Again, this Project is on our Island designated for Industrial Defelopment and from what I can gather next to an existing Oil Facility no where near any substantial population or for that matter, any of the 3 much heralded National Parks.

Having confessed to missing the Meeting, it would seem Mr. Darville could have done his Group a favor by not commenting until he had done some basic fact checking before emotionally commenting at the expense of his credibility, and more sadly that of Save The Bays, who he purports to represent, assuming of course they are indeed legit, and not merely another Special Interest Group.

Not be controversial, but what is “low” paying about Jobs that start at $40k and exceed $200k?!?

Unless we are happy being a Nation of subservient Bell Hops, Maids, Taxi Drivers and Straw Vendors, we better recognize very quickly that we can not survive, yes "survive" on Tourism alone, and if someone wants to invest $5.5 billion into our designated Industrial and most depressed Island, we should be bending over backwards to accommodate them, as trust me, $5.5 billion will make Oban a Friend of virtually every other Nation on the Planet!