Where are the aerial photos of the drilling process? Oil like water drilling requires a thick lubricating mud to bring the debris to the surface & discharges of both are common. Are the BPL doing such a good job of recycling said mud & debris that it is not visible in the pristine waters? I think not.
Get some photos for the public to see, do not accept air seclusion zones.

Really? You are concerned because those who were given a ridiculous tax break 4 years back & now the funds must be found to cover that portion of their accumulated debt? Sounds like a credit card company complaining because a cardholder cut up his maxed out card, after collecting years of high interest...or... commission. Have no fear the very wealthy will continue to purchase & sell their investment properties throughout the world.
When the economy in US improves, the middle & middle high class traveler visits will improve, spending more money among regular Bahamians. May even buy some real estate. I would be more concerned on how the visitor is treated, there is great need for improvement if you want to compete.

Not surprising responses, since the countries' leadership has not been able to contain even the seeping oil at Clifton Pier!
Do anyone really believe they will be interested in cleaning in a spill on Cay Sal Bank?
Rest assured they will receive a bill for US clean-up & damages when such event occurs, and it will!
'Let the next generation pay, we have our riches' is their moto. Pay Back is always Expensive.

So what Protocol are in play to contain & clean up the oil should there be an accident?
What are the Protocols for the drilling effluents, lubricating fluids & heavy chemicals commonly dumped in 'normal' drilling muds & procedures?
Where are the containment boom releasing vessels & boom maintaining boats? 20, 30, 50, 100 miles away?
Where are the skimmer vessels to vacuum up the floating oil? 20, 30, 50, 100 miles away?
Where are the aircraft on stand by to spray the dispersal over the slick? 100, 200, 500 miles away?
Who is paying for these? Who is liable for the damage to such pristine location?
Do not tell me 'They' or 'Govt'; as these entities are still paying for the Horizon debacle of 20 years ago.
Don't tell me 'we'll learn as we go'; as they did with The Valdez, still cleaning the oil after 50yrs!
The Chinese nor Cubans are going to help... well possibly at a hefty price. ...only the Bahamian DR run fishing vessels & their sculling dinghy's?
How idiotic!!

In most countries The Industry does the training while the Govt. maintains the standards for safety, resource maintenance & legality. Occasionally there is some subsidy for reinforcing an industry.
What about aquaculture? Do you know that in the Philippines & China, they raise Groupers, Snappers & multiple of other finfish species? even multiple species of crabs & lobsters? Some in fattening farms (wild caught as young, raised to market size), others from egg to market size.
What I see here are industry giants not wanting to invest in their industry, who cant see past their bottom line. The foreign nationals can be a source of education for an industry in transition to improving methodology, resource management & sciences. The world markets are only leaving areas that they have depleted, they will always be hungry & available.

The question here is why must it be an outsider group to spearhead such transfer of skills?
Where are the Construction Professional Community? They can not agree on an established Standards of Building Code. Even when these exist in the country's neighborhood.
Must be doubt & fear of their own skills, or the crabs-in-bucket syndrome.
They will ultimately benefit as the labor pool skills are improving. There must be an apprentice program for anyone, not merely graduated students. (Graduated from what with what?)
Don't expect the government to take the lead, they are full of 'lifers', people who merely exist for the next paycheck. As the world leaves them behind.
There are three types of people in this world:
1. Those that Make things happen.
2. Those who Watch things happen.
3. Those who Say 'What Happened?"

Do you really think that having 250 new cases in the last week (since Sept 14th) is nothing, let's not forget about previous 2 weeks. This is not going to entice any visitor to come & spend their hard earned dollars and risk dying of a horrible disease that makes one drown in your own lungs mucus?
Too many people have drank the Guyana flavored kool-aid (look it up) preached by No-Mask TRump. The vaccine is a year away from reaching the Bahamas, cant run over to Florida & pick up a dozen at Walmart. Be Smart Bahamas.

***Who the hell places 17 people (alleged, 12 certain) in a 27 foot small craft?*** **That Is Criminal**, if even for a short shuttle-ride from one island to another, in good weather. Here we have a Depression with strong winds & waves! In a land of natural mariners?
The smuggler cares not one iota for the immigrant's lives, just pay me & God help you desperate immigrant. The crew/captain/smugglers are the criminals, taking the money & run like cowards that they are. They should be identified in every news piece, no matter who's brother or cousin they may be!!

Congratulations!
The Bahamas Government shortsightedness has officially made cruising Florida & The Florida Keys joyous, even with the high numbers of fellow cruisers.
In Europe & some South American countries do require a departure certificate, but they are for Safety Purposes, to ensure the vessel actually arrived at it's intended destination, particularly where cold rough waters or high criminal activity are common. Neither of these apply to The Bahamas, if there is high smuggling activities, it is being monitored by the joint US Coast Guard, Bahamas & TC Defense Force coordination.
This is basic harassment of a valuable income resource for short term, immediate financial gain; not too different than charging high DutyTax plus a high VATTax. Eventually resource do not return or the overtaxed bite back... think 1776.
Wealthy Americans have no problem spending money when they know it is required, they hate being nickle-&-dime'd by opportunist officials with unregulated undeclared fees... that's graft & 3rd World thinking... remember Venezuela, Cuba & DR once happy cruising fishing destinations, no more.

Why spend money, when government is as interested in cleaning the area up as Equinor.
With enough time the ferns & vegetation will cover it all from sight. Out of sight out of mind is as most governments handle such issues. Oil seeping into groundwater? 'No one here to drink from a well.'
It will get very interesting when in next year's dry season, the bush starts to burn & the oiled ground ignites with no stopping it till all the oil is burned off. 'Just spray it down' with the oily ground water!! Or saltwater.'