Business was served cease-and-desist from Jan 2022 but owner says he got approval letters a year ago
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Residents of Adelaide are divided over whether they want a business offering a swimming pigs experience operating in that community.
At a town planning meeting Thursday night, some residents of Beach Drive in Adelaide Village claimed they have been directly impacted by the Beyond Da Village Pig Experience and voiced strong opposition to the business being granted approval to operate.
Other Adelaide residents, however, welcomed the venture, claiming it was providing a much-needed economic boost to the community.
The supporting faction suggested opposition was from a small “clique” that does not want the community to progress.
Keenan Johnson, the Town Planning Committee’s chairman, confirmed the business operated by Charles Johnson did not have Town Planning approval and had been issued a cease-and-desist order from Town Planning in January of this year.
Operator Charles Johnson explained that before he commenced his operations in June of 2021, he had obtained letters of approval from the police and Department of Environmental Health.
He also noted that the Department of Agriculture’s veterinary section, as well as animal control, had inspected his operations.
The operator is also seeking approval to operate a beach bar and grill, and have the area — which is zoned as residential — rezoned for commercial use.
Johnson explained there are three interaction times daily with the pigs and those experiences are capped at 25 people.
But Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis — a resident of Adelaide and well-respected health professional who chairs the National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee and also played an instrumental role during the peak of the pandemic — said there were “inconsistencies” in Johnson’s presentation.
“This activity started with a pig pen adjacent to my property,” she revealed.
“I spoke with my neighbor and told him to move the animals because I was getting the odors into my bedroom.
“He accommodated the request in short order, for which I was extremely grateful. They moved to where they are currently located.”
Dahl-Regis added: “We still have very large flies that weren’t there before. I’m not home in the day nor in the afternoon, but for a day or two, I work from home and there are loud noises. I would hear a microphone and all the entertainment going on.
“My greatest concern is the tour boat operators with their twin and single engines coming up to the shoreline to collect guests while there is active swimming. That is extremely dangerous. It can be disastrous.”
Johnson, however, replied: “I don’t have anyone speaking on mics. I don’t operate that type of music there. It’s just light background music. Most people who come there aren’t engaged in that type of entertainment.”
Leslie Vanderpool, founder and executive director of the Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF), said 30 residents have signed a petition against the swimming pigs business.
She asserted that Johnson was squatting on someone else’s property to operate his business, and referenced the cease-and-desist order from Town Planning.
“We do not want to turn the area into a commercial zone. Many residents bought property in this area for peace of mind,” said Vanderpool.
Another resident, environmentalist and reEarth President Sam Duncombe, said: “I’m sandwiched between two pig facilities. The road we live on is Beach Drive and most of Adelaide is on low-density residential.
“Mr Johnson was served a cease-and-desist order from Town Planning in January and continues to operate.”
Duncombe claimed that buses, jeeps and taxis were trafficking the area because of Johnson’s business.
One Adelaide resident who is part of a group backing the business said there is a petition with some 175 signatures in support of Johnson’s venture.
He argued that the business is not contributing to noise pollution and that it has created employment for several young men in the community.
Bernard Hanna, a Beach Drive resident for over 55 years who is also backing the pig venture, said he was “shocked and surprised” that the area was designated residential as he always considered it a commercial zone.
Another resident said: “I am very happy this is happening. We have employment. The tourists are coming back.
“Only three people in Adelaide are really opposing this. They never want to see anything good happen. It’s just a little clique on Beach Drive.”
Rupert Stuart, another area resident, said: “The traffic coming onto Beach Drive and noise doesn’t affect those people who want the development. What’s happening on Beach Drive is affecting the residents of Beach Drive, not Adelaide Village.”
