2 weeks Ago By Youri Kemp Senior Business Reporter [email protected]
An executive of the company developing the Kakona luxury resort in South Abaco said the project will have positive effects for the residents of South Abaco, pointing out that he shares the same concerns as the various environmental groups. Thomas Boynton, chief financial officer of the South Abaco Land Development Company (SALDCO), told a town hall meeting attended by residents of South Abaco that the development will be done over three sites. The first will be the Leeward Harbor adjacent to the Sandy Point airport, which covers 105 acres with a 39-acre marina; along with a boutique hotel with 25 beach bungalows and 50 harbor homes.
The Leeward Harbor will also have 50 condos, 10 villas, and 240 wet slips. The second project site will be High Bank Bay, which is 503 acres on the east coast of South Abaco, five miles north of the Hole in the Wall. This will be the sporting club for thee golf course community, with a golf course clubhouse, along with 165 homes, a hotel component, and a golf practice area.
The third site is the Conch Sound Point, which will also have a golf practice area along with a small, branded residence club with 100 estate homes. Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) has shared its concerns about the project’s impact on the Cross Harbor respawning grounds for bonefish. The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) said it categorically opposes the project over fears of damage to Cross Harbor, in addition to the potential loss of habitat for the Abaco parrot, and several other bird species.
Boynton told Guardian Business that SALDCO “shares the same environmental concerns”, and is working closely with both parties to mitigate any potential loss of animal habitat, because potential guests to Kakona would want to come there to see the same flora and fauna that is being protected. “I spoke with the gentleman from the BTT earlier this year, and his article was, in my opinion, not damning or a voice of being totally against our project,” said Boynton. The BTT said in a release to the media that it is, “deeply concerned about the potential impact of the proposed Kakona development on essential bonefish habitats near Cross Harbor, Abaco.
These areas include one of the largest and most vital pre-spawning aggregation (PSA) sites for bonefish in The Bahamas – habitats that support the rich bonefishing economies of Abaco, Andros Grand Bahama and across the country”. Boynton added: “The BTT did express some valid concerns. We have reached out to them to arrange a meeting, and we did that prior to the public hearing on Thursday evening.
With all due respect to the lady that spoke on behalf of the BNT, she did not have all her facts. We’ve talked with BNT on multiple occasions over the years, back when Mr. [Eric] Carey was head of the BNT, and as recently as a couple of years ago, after we started what is the design that we’re seeing now.
“So, we have had conversations with the BNT. It’s not like we haven’t spoken to them, but they’ve never come out and said, oh, we approved your project or anything like that. So, I’m not going to say that.
“But you know, they have genuine concerns for the protection of the park, and we respect that. The same things that these NGOs are concerned about we’re concerned about, because everybody that comes to the resort, they want to see the natural beauty of South Abaco.”.
