Treasure Cay - Upgrade Updates
The Abaconian 1 April 2002

The Treasure Cay Property Owners Association held their annual meeting on March 19 at the Treasure Cay Community Centre. The annual meeting discusses many topics important to the home owners, the various committees present their reports and the financial records are made public. Approximately 100 owners were present and there were many additional proxy votes.

Treasure Cay residents are planning to build a combination fire house, humane society and a garage for an ambulance. Treasure Cay Ltd. will be providing the land but construction cannot begin until the land is made available. They have collected about $50,000 toward the building and have pledges which will be available when construction begins. The pledges would bring the total to $90,000. The estimated cost will be about $160,000. The feeling at the meeting was that they are eager to proceed.

Another area which concerns the residents is the situation with the water and sewerage. Government will eventually be purchasing these utilities and a purchase price has been agreed upon. But so far Treasure Cay Ltd. is providing the services. The sewer system is in such poor condition that raw sewerage puddles in several areas. There is a need for much new equipment.

It is estimated that the system will require about one million dollars to revamp it. However, since Treasure Cay, Ltd. no longer has a franchise to operate these utilities, they have no guarantee on how long they will operating it and will have an income from it. With no guarantee of recouping their investment, they are allowing the situation to remain unchanged.

The government is just completing a new water system which will serve Treasure Cay, Black Wood and eventually Green Turtle Cay. It was brought out in the meeting that one reason the government has not acted sooner in the purchase is that when the new water system is in use, they will have to begin repaying the loan from an international bank.

If plans for a new hotel develop, government will go ahead. If the hotel does not happen soon, the feeling expressed at the meeting was they would like Treasure Cay Ltd to purchase water wholesale from the government for reselling which would give the area much better quality of water than now available.

BEC is still upgrading the wiring in Treasure Cay. There is concern that the work will not be completed before the fishing tournaments begin next month. The fishing tournaments are important to the economy of the resort; however, the boats require large amounts of electricity. At present Treasure Cay is still served by generators located in the resort. BEC will probably move them to another island in the Bahamas when they eventually service that area from the generating plant in Marsh Harbour. But the home owners would like the generators which are currently providing their power to be left in place.

The homeowners were told that the approvals for a new hotel are complete except for a concession from the government which the resort developers are requesting.

The plans are now for a 175 room hotel. The developers will work with an internationally recognized hotel chain which will provide the management and marketing for the hotel.

Mr. Jerry Roberts, who has been heading the humane society in Treasure Cay, asked that someone else take over his duties. He has been doing it for many years. The situation with stray dogs is getting worse and a program to get them under control is essential.

The Treasure Cay Amenities Management Committee is working to locate owners who are delinquent in paying their assessments. The committee is made up of representatives from both Treasure Cay Limited and from the Treasure Cay Properties Owners Association.

They plan to have a second annual meeting which will be held in the fall. This meeting will held prior to the collection notices and will present a full yearly accounting, mainly for the benefit of Bahamian home owners.