“My government has chosen to negotiate a price for the purchase of the 208 acres that is all constituted on the southern side of West Bay Street as it moves towards Clifton Pier,” said Mr Christie. “We have drafted legislation similar to the bridge authority, as promised, and the legislation is weeks away from Parliament.” A special board is to be appointed to govern the land, Mr Christie announced while addressing the National Cultural Development Commission.
The Commission, which presented its first official report and recommendations to the prime minister during a press conference, has been asked by him to review the draft of this legislation. In addition, the government wants to continue its quest by acquiring the Whylly estate on the opposite side of the road from the land which is about to come before Parliament.
“My personal commitment has always been to replicate the Whylly estate, recognising that the three civilizations that impacted our country touched at Clifton: prehistoric Lucayans, the slaves and the Loyalists. I thought it would be just a wonderful thing to create a heritage park on that estate,” Mr Christie said.
The government is in “active discussions” with representatives of the owners of that estate to acquire the more than 300 acres of land to the north of the historical structures that can be seen from the road. Archeologists who began work on the estate have been contacted to return and continue their work.
The husband and wife team had their practice discontinued in the past, and Mr Christie said he sought authorisation from his Cabinet to have them return – in essence, “righting a wrong”. “We want to pass this whole exercise on to the people of the Bahamas. So my government proposes to take the legislation to Parliament,” he said. “After passsage of the legislation we propose to have a board of directors, which you (the commission) will advise us on, that will govern and guide the development of a heritage theme park,” Mr Christie added.
The Commission strongly recommended that a heroes park be erected at Clifton Cay.
The report stated: “This site will have already been owned by the Bahamian government and the expenses incurred for the government would be the delineation and preparation of the park.
“It is to be noted that this park would contain life-size statues erected in the Bahamas and thus far have been done through private funding. “Your commission recommends that this park be funded equally by the government with matching private funds.”
The representatives of the estate have expressed their desire to retain access to the sea. The Bahamas National Trust will have its hand in preserving and exhibiting the natural vegetation of the Bahamas at this site, said the prime minister.
Mr Christie also said he promised to have the legislation brought to Parliament before the end of the year – a promise to which the owners of the estate have been “held hostage to”.
He therefore wants to pay for that land as soon as possible to be able to move on to the Heritage site. “We believe that once we purchase the estate (by issue of bonds) we will be on our way towards a wonderful development in our country. “It is distressing to know that in New Providence there is very little for families to do. “We don’t even have a lake we can walk around; not even a pond! We want a place where people could go with their children and feed ducks and look at nature in all its beauty. We do not have that on this island!” Mr Christie said.
He charged the Commission to look into these issues so that all Bahamians “would be the better off, and generations to come would
benefit.”
By Felicity Ingraham, The Tribune
