NASSAU, BAHAMAS- The Government of The Bahamas and Bahamas Moorings Ltd. have mutually agreed to cancel their deal following concerns over premature mooring installations and the involvement of an Office of the Prime Minister employee.
The Office of the Prime Minister, in a statement on Monday, noted that Bahamas Moorings Ltd. is a Bahamian-owned company recently granted a seabed lease to install moorings in the Exuma Cays, with the lease requiring that the company meet environmental and other conditions.
“When the company began to install some moorings in advance of meeting all such conditions, they were ordered to cease and desist. The Office of the Prime Minister has since become aware that an employee of our office acted as a witness to the leasee. We are conducting an internal review of the matter. The placement of moorings prior to the full set of approvals and the involvement of an OPM employee have raised concerns about the venture. As a result, the Government and Bahamas Moorings Ltd. have agreed not to move forward with the agreement, with Bahamas Moorings voluntarily relinquishing their leases. Bahamas Moorings will remove any moorings already installed, at their own cost,” the OPM statement read.
It concluded: “We are grateful for their cooperation, and for the vision they shared with the government regarding how to manage moorings in our waters in ways which are consistent with marine conservation principles. It’s important that the Bahamian public has confidence that mooring rights are handled transparently and in a manner consistent with the national interest. We are committed to moving forward with a process that includes broader stakeholder and public consultation, including the convening of local government officials and representatives of the marine industry, in order to formulate a new policy structure for managing seabed leases.”
The government on Sunday confirmed that it issued a cease-and-desist order to Bahamas Moorings Ltd in which the government holds equity, for beginning preliminary activities related to the installation of moorings in the Exumas under its seabed lease agreement before obtaining all required approvals. In a statement, the government noted that Bahamas Moorings Ltd. had been granted a seabed lease to install 253 moorings at key locations throughout the Exuma Cays (excluding the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park), subject to conditions set by the government. The $2.5 million private investment, it said, represents a significant step forward in marine conservation and sustainable boating infrastructure, helping to protect The Bahamas’ delicate marine environment while ensuring responsible anchoring practices. The Cabinet of The Bahamas approved the project in June 2022. In January 2025, Bahamas Moorings Ltd. was granted a lease.
Bahamas Moorings Ltd., in a statement on Monday, expressed its gratitude to the Government of The Bahamas for the opportunity to collaborate on a project aimed at protecting the country’s invaluable marine environment.
“After careful consideration and extensive discussions, both parties have mutually agreed that the proposed mooring venture will not proceed. This decision was not made lightly. Both Bahamas Moorings and the Government share a deep commitment to marine conservation, sustainable tourism, and responsible boating practices. The need for a structured and well-regulated mooring system remains evident, as unregulated anchoring continues to impact fragile marine ecosystems, including coral reefs and seagrass beds—critical habitats that sustain biodiversity and support The Bahamas’ economy,” the company stated.
It added: “We fully support the Government’s ongoing efforts to explore solutions that align with conservation goals while considering the needs of local communities and the broader public. We deeply appreciate the collaboration with the Government and all stakeholders who have engaged in this important conversation. We look forward to future opportunities to contribute to environmental stewardship in meaningful ways.”
Opposition leader Michael Pintard, seizing on the controversy in a statement, said: “The revelation in this morning’s dailies that a company linked to a senior public officer in the Office of the Prime Minister—and her husband—has been awarded a government contract is a glaring example of conflict of interest. It’s the latest brazen scandal to plague the Davis Administration, which continues to stumble from one controversy to the next. We have also heard reports that the government has given away every single safe anchorage for hundreds of miles to this group. At every turn, the allegations raise serious concerns about transparency, conflicts of interest, and abuse of power. How could the Prime Minister approve a multi-million-dollar exclusive concession involving a sensitive seabed in one of our most pristine ocean environments, apparently without public consultation or a published environmental impact assessment?”
Pintard further questioned: “Why was there no engagement with key stakeholders in Exuma and beyond? Why the secrecy surrounding this deal? How is it possible that the Prime Minister’s Deputy Director of Communications is a documented agent of Bahamas Moorings Ltd.?”
“How is it not a blatant conflict of interest that she and her husband—the apparent principal of the company—were able to negotiate a lucrative 20-plus-year deal in secrecy? Did the Prime Minister know that the principal of Bahamas Moorings Ltd. has been a reported close business associate of a key senior advisor to his office? How has the government taken an ownership stake in this private company—creating a public-private partnership—without informing the Bahamian people? How did this government see fit to invest on behalf of Bahamians without telling them? Why was there no public disclosure of an arrangement that binds all Bahamians as stakeholders? What qualifications or experience do the principals of Bahamas Moorings Ltd. have in this sector? Other than their ties to the Office of the Prime Minister and a senior advisor to the Prime Minister, what justifies them being handed such a lucrative concession? Why was there no public procurement process to ensure the best possible deal for the Bahamian people?”
Pintard added: “This doesn’t pass the smell test. As we saw with aspects of the BPL deal, this Davis Administration would not think twice about handing over public assets to PLP insiders and their associates—without any open, transparent, or accountable process. This is why the public is outraged, calling this deal a blatant act of corruption. It must be canceled immediately. Any public officials involved in this abuse of power must be held accountable. If found guilty, they should be removed from office and face the full weight of the law.”
