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Columns : Letters to The Editor Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM


Response to Keith Cooper's Letter to Editor, regarding Sandy Cay, West End
By Rev. Ronald Brohammer
May 20, 2016 - 4:48:36 PM

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(May 16, 2016) This is in response to Keith Cooper's Letter to the Editor, May 6, 2016, regarding Sandy Cay. The letter is full of exaggerations and lies. He says, Sandy Cay "is a desolate place with no dwelling structures or identifying evidence of human occupation for the past 40 years." Most people on West End know there was a house on Sandy Cay, the remains of which were removed with the majority of trees by Hurricane Wilma, October 15, 2005. Today the foundations of the house are in the water on the eastern end of the island. No identifying evidence of human occupation? The house has been on the island since the 1930's. Some details: the 37 foot sailboat is not 60 feet (quite a difference) and the 26 foot fishing boat is 23 feet. Everything in this altercation seems to be exaggerated.

We've owned Sandy Cay since November 21,1978, paying annual property taxes as a U.S. Corporation. We've had no altercations with anyone for 37 and 1/2 years. Since Cooper has decided to go public about his perception of things, I feel a need to respond as Trustee for Sandy Cay, Inc. with our perception of these events.

We know very well that anyone can legally picnic, walk, sit or play up to the high water mark on any beach in the Bahamas, including private island beaches. We do maintain our right to privacy on the island land above the high water mark when we are visiting the island. That is no trespassers picnicking in the area where we are camping. When we are not present we recognize the fact that people picnic on the island without our permission; we only request that they remove what they bring in so the island is left clean.

True, Keith Cooper had been seeking to be caretaker of the island since 2015, Four of the five owners met in the West End marina on April 30. One of the owners who frequents West End suggested that we designate Kenneth Christie as caretaker rather than Keith Cooper. He then left us and flew back to Miami. After our first day on the island with Keith Cooper and Kenneth Christie, the three remaining owners unanimously decided Kenneth Christie was our choice for caretaker.

My brother, Dr. Brohammer, and another owner, Fr. Tony Mullane, (no tattoos) went to the Village to inform Kenneth Christie of our decision and decided as a courtesy to inform Keith Cooper of our Corporate decision. Keith was not home. They related the information to Linda Cooper with the instructions that we wanted no conflicts with the two men and their businesses. We expected Keith Cooper to contact us to make sure that all was OK to use the island when we were not there.

The following morning on an extremely low tide, Cooper arrived with Superintendent Clement Campbell who waded in from Cooper's stranded boat to confront the group alone on the island. False, Cooper did not accompany him; he never left his boat. He left Campbell alone to do his dirty work. Campbell started out by saying that nobody can own an island. After heated discussion, my brother got documents from his sailboat to show that we did own the island. With that, and now friendly exchange, my brother walked his dingy with Campbell aboard, to Cooper's boat. In front of Campbell, Dr. Brohammer told Cooper, "you know very well we are the owners. You've been contacting me as an owner to be designated as caretaker of the island." Cooper responds,'Now I know".

I'm the tattooed man, who remained at all times on the sailboat as an observer. Incidentally, I never met Keith Cooper and never spoke to him. So all references in the article to the tattooed man belong to the third owner, Rev. Tony Mullane, who has no tattoos and who now admits that his requests to Cooper to cancel his organized trips while we are on the island is unreasonable.

Keith Cooper suggests that the area should be designated as a marine protected park. There is a disconnect somewhere. He's suggesting a nature park and is feeding wild sting rays, bringing in multiple rays that would not be at the island naturally. It is readily apparent that Keith Cooper's intention is to have the government confiscate our property by making it a public marine park so he can continue to make his livelihood without restrictions. Our unique and valuable island would be useless and devalued for private use. We would not be able to rebuild a house or dock on the property. This move by the Bahamian Government to confiscate private property would surely have a negative effect on all foreign investments.

It appears to us that Keith Cooper is disgruntled because he was not chosen as caretaker and is trying to get back at us by intimidations and public misinformation. We have no problem with him remaining on the beach below the high water line when we are present, which he is presently doing. If he interprets this as being put upon, that's his problem; not ours.

One last point: it's not fun trying to swim in the only swimming hole at Sandy Cay with six or more sting rays nipping at your toes, begging for food like the family dog begging at the table.

Rev. Ronald Brohammer,
Trustee for Sandy Cay, Inc.


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