January 15, 2019 The Abaconian Section A Page 1 VOLUME 29 NUMBER 2 January 15th, 2019 New Committee Steers Community Enthusiasm What’s Inside for Hope Town’s Sustainable Development •Web.com A22 •Walker’s Cay A2 •BHCA A5 •Marijuana A5 Residents, both full time and second home owners, are keen to ensure that development on Hope Town is appropriate and does not destroy the quaint and idyllic character of the community. On January 3, 2019, community enthusiasm was demonstrated as over 100 people came together as a focus group. See Page 6. •Airport Lights A7 Fifty Four Apprehended and Dire Outlook for Charged with Illegal Entry Conch Fishery •Calendar A8 •Letters A9 Scientists have concluded that the Bahami- an conch industry is unsustainable at cur- rent levels with ten to fifteen years before the population collapses. By Timothy Roberts After measuring more than 3,000 •Treasure Cay Market A11 conch at 42 survey sites throughout The Over fifty Haitian migrants were charged before the courts after they were apprehended Bahamas, scientists have found that this in waters off of Marsh Harbour during a joint operation by the Royal Bahamas Police country could lose its conch industry in 10 Force, Immigration and Defence Force Officials last Thursday. See Page 4. to 15 years if pressure on the food source •Beauty A15 is not reduced, a press release on the mat- ter revealed. Community Conch along with a group from Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium •Music A16 conducted the research in The Bahamas, and the findings were published in the sci- entific journal “Reviews in Fisheries Sci- ence and Aquaculture.” •Business A19 According to the press release, sur- veys of queen conch were conducted be- tween 2009 and 2017 to understand the fishing pressures on the ocean mollusk. •MOW Museum A20 It added that “scientists collected data on how many conch were present at a given survey site” and their age based on the thickness of their shell. •Visitors Guide A23 Requested The survey revealed three key find- Service Service ings: “The number of adult conch de- Change Change Permit NO 4595 NO Permit WEST PALM BCH FL BCH PALM WEST Stuart, FL 34997 FL Stuart, creased in direct proportion to increases PAID 5675 SE Grouper Ave Grouper SE 5675 US POSTAGE US in fishing pressure, and the populations in Stuart Web Inc. Web Stuart •&ODVVLÀHGV% PRSRT STD PRSRT The Abaconian The Renew your subscription before the expiration date shown in the label below. label the in shown date expiration the before subscription your Renew CONCH PAGE 2 January 15, 2019 The Abaconian Section A Page 3 Damianos Page 4 Section A The Abaconian January 15, 2019 LOCAL NEWS Also, just days before the new year, WALKERS Fifty Four Apprehended and on December 30, the RBDF apprehend- ed 124 Haitian migrants. Their 40-ft sail with Bahamians; one that helps to create Charged with Illegal Entry secure jobs as we work hand in hand to sloop was apprehended approximately By Timothy Roberts take the necessary actions [to apprehend return it to its former glory,” he said. eight miles south of New Providence. On January 3, a joint operation be- them] expeditiously.” Mr. Allen said that the ramp-up of Russell said those migrants who were tween the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Russell said at the time that officers phase one follows extensive planning over taken into custody before yesterday’s ap- (RBDF), the Royal Bahamas Police Force are still on the ground in Abaco, searching the last year and will begin in the first prehension, have been charged before the quarter of this year. (RBPF) and the Immigration Department for more illegal migrants who are believed court. The migrants, he said, all pled guilty “Things are happening, and progress led to the apprehension of 54 Haitian na- to be at large. and have been sentenced and ordered to be is being made – especially with the church. tionals in Abaco. He said the immigration department repatriated. It’s all very encouraging, but we know a A statement released by the RBDF has managed to successfully take the illegal lot more work needs to be done. And as “As late as next week this crew [ap- outlined that 29 migrants were apprehend- migrants in the previous two landings be- we continue these efforts, we will look for prehended on January 3] will hopefully be ed aboard a conventional sailing yacht near fore the court, and looks forward to having more opportunities to partner up with Ba- before the court and we are hoping to get the entrance of Man O War Cay around the same process carried out expeditiously hamians to create secure and long-lasting the same results,” he said. jobs. We look forward to creating even 4:30 p.m. for those captured in Thursday’s landing. Russell issued a stern warning to il- more opportunities as we ramp up our ef- The 27-foot sailing vessel was an- All of the Haitian nationals pleaded legal migrants to stray from setting their forts to return Walker’s Cay to its former chored when authorities were alerted by guilty on January 5 to the charge against eyes on The Bahamas. glory. The rebirth is well on its way,” he residents that Haitian nationals were being them of illegal entry. Magistrate Kara concluded. “The message we are sending is stay ferried ashore by a speedboat. Turnquest-Deveaux consequently convict- Mr. Allen is a renowned Texas busi- away from this country,” he said. “If you The RBDF said a total of 54 Haitians ed the group and ordered them to be turned nessman and philanthropist, known for are coming in legally then you are wel- were subsequently apprehended and taken over to the Department of Immigration for building his family run business from 130 come, if you are not then you are going into custody by that evening by Immigra- processing and deportation. jobs up to nearly 1,000. He, his wife Gigi, to be pursued vigorously as swiftly and as and their family strongly believe that creat- tion authorities for further processing. The first apprehension for the year lawfully as possible.” ing good jobs and helping communities go Immigration Director Clarence Rus- was on New Year’s Day when the RBDF Last year, the RBDF apprehended or hand-in-hand, so they invest in educational sell said, “We are asking that any members apprehended 23 Haitian migrants on Tues- assisted in apprehending over 400 Haitian institutions and environmental causes that of the public who might see any suspicious day, January 1, in the area of South Beach make the world around them a better place, migrants. persons to contact immigration and we will Estates, New Providence. a press release noted. January 15, 2019 The Abaconian Section A Page 5 LOCAL NEWS BHCA Receives Support from Local Government for assistance and reached out Marijuana Plants specifically to Roscoe Thompson, chair- Discovered in Abaco Gov’t in Community Clean-Up man of the Marsh Harbour and Spring City Township. After speaking with Thompson, he said that Thompson agreed to assist him By Timothy Roberts By Canishka Alexander with removal of the trash and to supply an Two people were arrested after police Just a few days into the New Year additional bin. when Emmanuel Fernander went to the discovered 60 potted marijuana plants on True to his word, Thompson stopped Mudd for a visit, he was shocked to see by the community on Jan. 4 to assess the January 8. what lay before him. garbage situation. The next day, Thomp- According to the police report, short- After all the hard work by him and son sent equipment over to the Mudd to the members of the Bahamas Haitian Com- ly after 1pm on Tuesday, police and im- have the garbage picked up and to place munity Association (BHCA) to clean up the new bin. migration officers, acting on information, the area surrounding the soccer field, it ap- At the end of the month, there are went to an area off Ernest Dean Highway peared worse than before. also plans to relocate the garbage bins near Fernander, founder of BHCA, said where they found a number of stolen items the soccer field to the area where the fire that although trash was collected over the and ten pots of suspected marijuana plants, destroyed homes last year. holidays, what wasn’t taken up in the avail- There is also a garbage pile up in about one to three feet in height. able bins was left on the ground. It was the other side of the Mudd extending to Assistant Superintendent of Police, also observed that there are residents from Charles Sawyer Drive – the road that leads surrounding communities who are also Terecita Pinder reported that the officers to the Port Administration Building - that dumping their trash in the bins causing also needs to be addressed. According to arrested a 46-year-old Jamaican woman such an extensive overflow. Fernander, the garbage bin in that location who was discovered in the area. His solution to the problem was to has been there for at least two weeks, and perhaps add another garbage bin or to find She said that a short time later, dur- looks like a dump with people living right out if the garbage truck company could next door. ing a further search of the area, officers The Bahamas Haitian Community Associa- stop by more often to keep the amount of “It needs serious attention,” he urged. discovered 50 marijuana plants about one trash down. tion (BHCA) hosted another clean up after Meanwhile, Fernander maintains a “The effort we make every weekend to four feet in height.