He lauded developer Peter DeSavory’s “understanding of The Bahamas and his appreciation for the traditional rights of the people of Cherokee Sound.”
Residents here have traditionally used Winding Bay beach. They were concerned that the new development would bring an end to that.
“When it came to the beach, he said whatever rights they enjoyed over the years remain today,” explained the prime minister. “So the people of Cherokee will have their beach … and that makes for a stronger destination, where the people coming in will be able to turn and ask a native Abaconian how things are.”
Prime Minister Christie, Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe and Transport Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin toured the Abaco Club project on Saturday.
Scheduled for opening in December, the Abaco Club features a Links golf course, a club house and cottages with a breathtaking view of the ocean on one side and a beach that curves into the distance on the other.
During the tour of the property, the Prime Minister said Mr DeSavory has decided to accelerate construction of 75 cottages, so that what was to be built during the second phase of the project will begin within weeks.
When this club started out, the value of a lot was being pegged at $500,000 to $1 million. But there has been “such an awesome degree of interest in the property,” said Mr Christie, “it is more relevant now to talk in terms of two and three million dollars per lot.
“So one can see that this will be an extremely attractive tourist facility – one of the singularly most attractive golfing resorts in the world. We believe that this facility will be the catalyst for increasing the growth of Abaco.”
The Prime Minister told of “an extraordinary resurgence of interest from people wishing to build their second homes in Abaco. The real estate market has picked up significantly.
“What is expected of this island is how we are able to aggressively deal with what has been the most significant issue coming out of our tourism industry Bahamas-wide, and that is that 80 cents out of every dollar we earn (from tourism) go back.
“The challenge for a country like The Bahamas and more particularly for Abaco, is to cut into that 80 cents of every dollar
“Whatever we say about our competitors, I will simply take one and tell you that Jamaica retains 50 cents of every (tourist) dollar spent οΎ— significantly more than us.
“As a country we have become too use to having access to money and being able to go to the United States, buy what we want and bring it back and when we feel tired of it, throw it away and go back and buy some more.
“Therefore we will be watching Abaco with great interest. I would like to herald good things to come. We will come back intermittently to ensure we are doing our part to facilitate an opening before Christmas and do our part to ensure that the confidence that is reposed in Abaco and the confidence that is reposed in this facility is maintained.”
The government, he said, is determined to create at least one anchor resort with its new mix of rooms, villas, condominiums, time sharing and second homes in each of the major islands around which the local economy can
grow.
“We are well on our way,” said Mr Christie. “We are very impressed with the way in which people of the world want to do business in The Bahamas and bring their families to live in The Bahamas because they see The Bahamas not only as a beautiful place to be but as being safe and secure.”
Gladstone Thurston, Bahamas Information Services
