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by Bill DurrellRoundabout At Treasure Cay
The road into Treasure Cay is pretty straight forward until four hundred and
thirty-six yards past the entrance to the golf course. At this point it dead
ends at a roundabout. In days past there was a large pole and light in the middle
of this circular obstruction, but cars that also dead ended there kept knocking
it down. Where I come from these circular hazards are called traffic circles.For purpose of naming this rambles I am most appreciative of the British
from whenceforth the term roundabout came from. Websters Ninth New
Collegiate Dictionary defines round as "(2): a circle of things" and
roundabout as 1: a circuitous route : detour, 2 Brit: MERRY-GO-ROUND. The
latter is most appropriate for the coming and goings of Treasure Cay.Yearly events at Treasure Cay are a roundabout series of public meetings
held by the various organizations governing different sub-communities within
the development. Most of these sub-communities have a board of directors
with committees to handle the various issues needing to be managed and dealt
with.The one we live in is Beach Villas and the governing association is called
Beach Villa Owners Association. Others, and some might be left out or
misnamed represent Royal Poinciana, Royal Palms, Mariners Cove, Atlantis,
Ocean Villas, and the not yet fully organised Bahamas Beach Club. There are
homeowners in Treasure Cay who loosely form groups such as those on Windward
Beach or Ocean Boulevard. The organisation that pulls all the property
owners together under one umbrella is the Treasure Cay Property Owners'
Association.Sometimes there are seemingly important issues to be dealt with at the
meetings and sometimes not. All issues are very important to someone. The
most sensitive item on the BVOA agenda this year regarded the breaking of
the "sacred" bylaws. A respected and highly popular couple has been
harbouring a very small, white dog in their villa which is a flagrant
violation of the no pets allowed rule.Even though no one ever sees or hears this dog we all know it is there. It
is suspected that he or she is smuggled in and out of the premise in a
shopping bag. The concern is that once the precedent is set any of the 100
plus villa owners having the right to keep a pet. Some fret that the
whole place could turn into a virtual animal kennel with even the
possibility of a few residents raising chickens and pigs. Most hope the
issue will quietly fade into obscurity.Water and Sewerage
Perhaps the clearest recent example of the roundabout that Treasure Cay is
came at the yearly meeting of The Treasure Cay Property Owners' Association.
Several of the issues of greatest concern to a majority of those present
were the condition of the water supply, the condition of the sewer system,
contamination of our groundwater, hookup with the new Bahamian Government
well field near the airport, and the development of a hotel.Jos Konstnes, the headman on Abaco representing developer Treasure Cay
Ltd, explained the entanglement regarding the above issues at the meeting.1. Even though raw sewage has been deposited directly into the ground
for the past five years it is not an area of concern regarding
contamination.2. The raw sewage does not contaminate our water supply.
3. It is strongly recommended that we do not drink the water.
4. The Bahamian government will not hook Treasure Cay to the new well field until
the sewer has been updated to meet current minimal standards.5. Treasure Cay will not spend the $1 million needed to update the sewer
until they get a new licence.6 .Treasure Cay's licence to operate the system expired four years ago and the
government will not renew it.7. Treasure Cay's concern is as soon as they do the update the government will take
the operation over.8. The government will not take over the water without also taking over the
sewerage system.9. The government claims not have the $1 million needed to repair the
sewerage system.10. The government does not have to start paying back the loan from the
Inter-American Development Bank, which financed the new well field and
connecting intrastructure, until it hooks up with Treasure Cay.11. Everybody involved in the development of the new hotel ie. the
investors, the major hotel firm committed to manage the hotel, the
developers, the government, etc, are all on hold waiting for a resolution of
the water and sewerage problems.12. It is an election year and you can never tell what will happen.
Amen...
A former property owner in Treasure Cay was enjoying the splendour of a
starlit sky on the BVOA beach deck chatting about the changes in Treasure
Cay over the past 20 years. "You know," she said, "Treasure Cay is sort of
like a seaside sanitarium for wealthy people, most of whom are a little off
plumb, a bit off centre. There are some folks here who are not well off,
but few and far between. What is quite remarkable is that as diverse a group
as we have here at Treasure Cay everybody gets along."Treasure Cay roundabouts in its typical fashion and all remains, thank
goodness, much the same.