NASSAU, BAHAMAS: Eleuthera residents pushed back strongly against a proposal involving roughly 100 acres of Crown land at Navy Base Beach, ultimately prompting American developer Jeff Jacobs to withdraw that component of his planned Governor’s Harbour development.
The Crown land issue emerged as one of the biggest points of contention during a packed public meeting at Workers House on Thursday evening, where residents repeatedly questioned why such a large tract of publicly owned land should potentially be made available to a foreign developer when Bahamians often struggle for years to secure Crown land.
Jacobs had proposed a public-private partnership involving approximately 100 acres of Crown land as part of his broader development plans for the area. However, after nearly two hours of questioning and opposition from residents, he put the matter to a show of hands.
Only one hand was raised in support.
“Okay, so it’s off the table,” Jacobs told the meeting. “We’re not going to propose the government a public-private partnership.”
Jacobs repeated the withdrawal during the meeting. When asked whether the community could receive the commitment in writing, he responded, “Sure.”
He also told residents: “I have no intention to apply for Crown land. I never did.”
The strong opposition reflected broader concerns among residents over Crown land access and whether public property should be used to facilitate private foreign investment.
One participant noted that Bahamians can wait years, and in some instances decades, for a single acre of Crown land to build a home or establish a small business. The participant also pointed to Member of Parliament Clay Sweeting’s previously stated opposition to Crown land being leveraged to finance private development.
Elliot of Tippy’s Restaurant and Bar questioned why a foreign investor could seek access to 100 acres when Bahamian citizens face difficulties securing Crown land.
Octavia Rolle also challenged Jacobs over his repeated offer to “donate” beach access to the community.
“Access to the beach is a right that we have, and you can’t give us. You can’t give rights,” Rolle said.
The Crown land issue was part of wider resistance to aspects of Jacobs’ proposed development, with residents also raising questions about its scale, environmental impact, infrastructure demands and a proposed casino.
Jacobs made no clear commitment to remove the casino from the project. When asked directly whether he would do so, he told residents: “The casino funds my activities here. If there is no casino, there’s no Jeff.”
Jacobs had opened his presentation by recounting what he said helped inspire the project — overhearing a young couple at breakfast at French Leave Resort remark that they had visited the beach and had nothing else to do.
Bahamian scientist and Eleuthera resident Selima Campbell Hauber, the first resident to speak, pushed back against that premise.
“I think that couple chose the wrong destination,” she said, drawing sustained applause. “They should have gone to Nassau or Miami. People come to Eleuthera to do nothing. Eleuthera is not for everybody, and sometimes we make poor choices in our vacation destinations.”
Pastor Orlando Thompson, chairman of the local town planning board, also challenged Jacobs over his approach to the community.
“I listened to your tone during this entire meeting, and I would say plainly you are burying yourself with your tone,” Thompson said.
He urged Jacobs to “rethink this whole project and come back again and present it in a manner that relates to the culture that exists right now.”
Rasheed Johnson, a Bahamian engineer who returned home after 17 years abroad and established his own company, said meaningful community engagement would be critical to securing residents’ support.
“If you’re going to do a project on this island and you want us to support you, genuinely engage with this island,” Johnson told Jacobs.
Residents also raised environmental and infrastructure concerns, including water supply, sewage, solid waste, fill and the potential impact on Eleuthera’s environment.
Bekera Taylor, chairman of the Eleuthera Sustainability Council, warned that the Palmetto Point dump site is “very outdated and cannot take on any more garbage from anywhere at all,” questioning how construction and operational waste from the development would be handled.
Jacobs said he did not know enough about the site and agreed to visit it with Taylor during his next trip to Eleuthera.
The developer’s environmental consultant, Janeen Bullard, told residents that an environmental impact assessment, baseline study, environmental management plan and ongoing monitoring are legal requirements in The Bahamas. She said no land can be cleared without approval from the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection and that an assessment would be produced once the project’s master plan is completed, followed by public consultation.
Despite Jacobs’ withdrawal of the Crown land proposal, questions also remain over exactly what property he has already acquired or has under contract.
Referring to properties included in his presentation, Jacobs said only that “we either own or are under contract with these properties,” without identifying which properties had been purchased and which remained under contract.
Community group Our Governor’s Harbour welcomed the Crown land withdrawal but cautioned that residents do not consider the matter resolved.
The group said it wants Jacobs to provide the written confirmation promised at Thursday’s meeting and show residents what the development now looks like without the proposed Crown land partnership. It is also seeking clarity on whether gaming will remain part of the project.
The group noted two other commitments made by Jacobs during the meeting: $100,000 toward the Governor’s Harbour fire station, which he said would stand whether or not the development proceeds, and a visit to the Palmetto Point dump site with the Eleuthera Sustainability Council.
Our Governor’s Harbour maintained that residents are not opposed to investment but want development compatible with Eleuthera’s character and existing infrastructure.
“We are not opposed to investment in Eleuthera. We support development that fits the scale, values and infrastructure of a Family Island.”
