AT THE OFFICIAL CONTRACT SIGNING FOR
THE DREDGING OF THE BIMINI CHANNEL INLET

ALICE TOWN BIMINI, THE BAHAMAS

21ST JULY, 2005

Salutations….

It is indeed my pleasure today to participate in the signing of this contract for a project long overdue, and which prophets of doom and gloom said would never happen. Perry Christie’s Government promised and is now delivering on that promise. When completed, this dredging project is expected to further enhance the economic well being of you who live on these beautiful islands of North and South Bimini.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Bimini is on the move. Just last month, the Bahamas Telecommunications Company signed a $6.0 million contract to provide under water fiber optic lines between Grand Bahama and Bimini to allow for first class telephone, internet, and cellular and other services in our northern Bahamas.

Only last week Friday a contract was signed between the developer of Bimini Bay Resort, Mr. Geraldo Capo, and Conrad Hotels’ for the management of his lovely 410 room 5-star hotel and casino property, upon completion. I also take this opportunity to inform you that Mr. Capo has also agreed under the Heads of Agreement to upgrade the airport at South Bimini thereby bringing that facility up to the standards set out by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). When completed, this will further increase the numbers of visitors coming here by air. Also, under the Heads of Agreement a new high school will be built and the current all-age school will be refurbished and will house the primary school. As we speak my Ministry is busily designing the new high school. Construction is scheduled to begin before the end of this year. Bimini is indeed on the move!

You would all agree that over the years Bimini has been recognized both as a tourist destination as well as the premier fishing and boating Mecca of The Bahamas.

However, over time, the entrance to the harbour has become so silted that only shallow draft boats are able to enter and navigate the channel. This of course has led to a significant reduction in the number of boaters visiting your lovely Islands. And it has even led to the cancellation of important local fishing tournaments.

There are many studies, some dating as far back as the late sixties where previous governments have attempted to address this vexing problem. Those were all met with limited success, as the solution to the problem required an in-depth study of the tidal flow in the harbour, which carried a significant cost factor.

However, on coming to office, the Christie Government, at the behest of your Member of Parliament, Hon. Obie Wilchcombe was made to revisit this problem. After reviewing proposals from a number of companies, the Government agreed to the design-build proposal put forth by the company Bahamas Construction and Development Ltd. (BCDL) a subsidiary of Devcon International, the United States based company, was the most feasible of the lot. By way of information, BCDL and Devcon have recently completed works for both the developers of The Emerald Bay, Four Seasons Resort as well as Crab Cay development which is expected to come on stream in due course.

Here at Bimini BCDL has been contracted at a cost of $2.75 million to create a channel to a depth of 14 feet. This channel will follow the natural channel before turning west across the near-shore sand bar. The entrance to the channel is expected to be some 200 feet wide and will be equipped with proper channel markers and Navigational Aid to mark the new alignment.

The channel will all have what is called an Advanced Maintenance Basin or an over cut on the northern side of its seaward section. This will act as a “sink” to catch sand as it migrates along the shoal southwards towards the channel; thus increasing the life of the channel. The dredging will also extend north into the bay in order to provide deep-water access inside the bay and up to the Customs Wharf on North Bimini. This is intended to facilitate the mail boat as well as other vessels with deeper drafts which presently find it difficult to navigate this area.

The dredged sand will be placed along the shoreline at North Bimini with the view of enhancing the beach. A groin will be constructed along the proposed shoreline. This will help to maintain the beach within the area that the dredged material is being relocated to as well as to provide a longer migration path for the sand. Consequently, the need to maintain the channel should become less frequent. The remaining materials will be utilized as landfill.

I wish to reassure those of you who love Bimini dearly that this development will not adversely affect the charm of this lovely Island as the appropriate Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) have been carried out.

Finally, the dredging equipment is scheduled to arrive in Bimini during the latter part of August. After erection of equipment, it is expected that the works will be completed in just over a month.

God bless the people of Bimini.