Hope Town District Council
Encyclopedia
The Hope Town District Council is a Local Government Council in the of the Bahamas. It is a third schedule district council located within the Abaco islands of the Northwest Bahamas.
After the implementation of Local Government in the Bahamas in 1996, the Ministry of Local Government approved the creation of the Hope Town District in 1999. The initial Council makeup included seven Councillors,three (3) from Hope Town, three (3) from Man-O-War Cay,and one (1) from Great Guana Cay.Despite this, during the 2008 Local Government Elections, the Council makeup was downsized to five (5) Councillors. The breakdown went to two(2) Councillors for Hope Town, two (2) Councillors for Man-O-War Cay, and one (1) for Great Guana Cay.
The Hope Town District Council is an amalgamation of thirteen islands; namely Great Guana Cay, Scotland Cay, Foot’s Cay, Fowl Cay, Man-O-War Cay, Sandy Cay, Dickie’s Cay, Garden Cay, Johnny’s Cay, Elbow Cay (where the capital settlement Hope Town is located), Lubber’s Quarters, Tilloo Cay, and the Pelican’s Cays.
and Great Guana Cay
shared a town committee. The seat of Council was in Marsh Harbour
that involved the Central Abaco area and the cays. The Town Committees of both Hope Town and Man-O-War Cay/Guana Cay each sent a Council member to sit on the Central Abaco Council.
. The other cays that are included are:
The residents of Great Guana Cay have recently been voicing concern over their representation feeling that they deserve equal representation with the other two towns. The Minister of Local Government has been aware and is considering a change in the current member structure for the 2008 Local Government elections.
After three months into the term, Chief Councillor Russell insisted that the main office be in Man-O-War Cay, where he is resident. The Island Administrator disagreed and stated that Hope Town is the capital for the District and the office should always remain in Hope Town (Elbow Cay). As a result the Man-O-War Council members resigned in protest. Man-O-War Cay went without representation for almost a year until Harcourt Thompson, Jimmy Albury, and Tony Albury were appointed to serve out the term.
After the resignation of Chief Councillor Russell and the Man-O-War members, this left the Chief Councillor's position vacant and the Council elected Suzanne Bethel as the Chief Councillor and Kevin Albury as the Deputy Chief Councillor. Into the term, Scott Patterson resigned, and Roscoe Thompson finished out his term.
No major dilemmas occurred during the term of this Council, other than the fact that being a new District, Chief Councillor Bethel and other Councillors quickly discovered the challenges that her Council and the Councils to follow have discovered. The biggest being the diverseness of the different settlements even though they are within a tight nit district. Under this term, Chief Councillor Bethel also got to undertake the establishment of the Pelican Cay's Land and Sea Park. As the term ended, Chief Councillor Bethel after being active in Local Government and the Board of Works for almost forty years, retired from local government. Local residents still recognize her as their "Iron Lady" or "Margaret Thatcher".
The Council members elected Walter Sweeting and their Chief Councillor and Jeff Key as their Deputy Chief Councillor.
From the get-go this Council dealt with a controversial matter. They attempted to award a Council member Tony Albury a government contract, and along with the fact that he was the highest bidder. Much controversy ensued, and after awarding the contract, Tony Albury resigned his post, and Haziel McDonald served his spot the remainder of the term. Much criticism arisen from surrounding Councils in Abaco including from Yvonne Key of the Central Abaco Council who publicly denounced the way they handled the matter.
Other than this matter, the life of this Council went relatively smoothly without much other controversy. The road contract for Hope Town was signed while in office, and this road stretched from the post office to Dorris Cove. As the term ended, they did petition that the Minister of Local Government realign the Hope Town District Council so that each town could have their own Council. The decision was deferred by the Minister.
Wayne Hall was elected the Council's fourth Chief Councillor and Jeremy Sweeting elected as the Deputy Chief Councillor.
This Council has been viewed to be one of the most pro-active Councils. Shortly after taking office they went on a campaign with a white paper document that would implement zoning and building code laws for the district. After a four month campaign, the white paper was defeated in a referendum. Although the Council's idea was rejected by the district, Hope Town voters favoured the idea.
In May 2006, Chief Councillor Hall relocated to Nassau. The Council then elected Jeremy Sweeting as the Chief Councillor and Roy Cash as the Deputy Chief Councillor. Jeremy Sweeting became the youngest Chief Councillor in the country's history. Harold Malone was elected by default to take Wayne Hall's seat as a council member.
After the implementation of Local Government in the Bahamas in 1996, the Ministry of Local Government approved the creation of the Hope Town District in 1999. The initial Council makeup included seven Councillors,three (3) from Hope Town, three (3) from Man-O-War Cay,and one (1) from Great Guana Cay.Despite this, during the 2008 Local Government Elections, the Council makeup was downsized to five (5) Councillors. The breakdown went to two(2) Councillors for Hope Town, two (2) Councillors for Man-O-War Cay, and one (1) for Great Guana Cay.
The Hope Town District Council is an amalgamation of thirteen islands; namely Great Guana Cay, Scotland Cay, Foot’s Cay, Fowl Cay, Man-O-War Cay, Sandy Cay, Dickie’s Cay, Garden Cay, Johnny’s Cay, Elbow Cay (where the capital settlement Hope Town is located), Lubber’s Quarters, Tilloo Cay, and the Pelican’s Cays.
Pre-existence
When Local Government was introduced to the Bahamas in 1996, the Hope Town District Council did not exist. Hope Town had its own town committee and the neighboring communities of Man-O-War CayMan-O-War Cay
Man-O-War Cay is a small island in the Abaco region of the Bahamas.It has a population of about 300 Bahamian residents and about 135 foreign resident families. During the summer some local houses are rented by vacationing families that have a reputation as good house guests...
and Great Guana Cay
Great Guana Cay
Great Guana Cay is an islet located in The Bahamas. It is a long but narrow islet which is 9 miles in length. It is located in the centre of the Abaco Islands...
shared a town committee. The seat of Council was in Marsh Harbour
Marsh Harbour
Marsh Harbour is a town in Abaco Islands, Bahamas, with a population of 5,314.With more than five thousand residents, Marsh Harbour is the third largest town in The Bahamas, and the main focus of tourism in the Abacos. Marsh Harbour is a shipbuilding center, but tourism accounts for most of its...
that involved the Central Abaco area and the cays. The Town Committees of both Hope Town and Man-O-War Cay/Guana Cay each sent a Council member to sit on the Central Abaco Council.
Creation of the Council
Local Government terms in the Bahamas, are three year and after the first term of Local Government (1996–1999), the Minister of Local Government saw the need for the Cays to have its own council, and thus the birth of the Hope Town District Council. The Council consists of three settlements and surrounding cays, including the settlements of Great Guana Cay, Man-O-War Cay, and Elbow CayElbow Cay
Elbow Cay is a six-mile long cay in the Abaco Islands of the Bahamas. Originally populated by British loyalists fleeing the newly independent United States of America in 1785, it has survived on fishing, boat building, and salvage...
. The other cays that are included are:
- Scotland Cay
- Canes Cay
- Sandy CaySandy CaySandy Cay is an uninhabited island of the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. It is located midway point between Tortola and Jost Van Dyke. The island is owned by the Laurance Rockefeller Estate; however, the estate is in the Process of handing the island over to the B.V.I. National Parks...
- Garden Cay
- Johnny's Cay
- Lubber's Quarters
- Parrot Cays
- Tilloo Cay
- Pelican Cays
Council representation
The Hope Town District Council consists of seven members, all elected. Three members are for Elbow Cay, three members serve Man-O-War Cay, and one represents Great Guana Cay. The numbers are based on registered voter population, meaning that Elbow Cay and Man-O-War Cay have larger population than Great Guana Cay.The residents of Great Guana Cay have recently been voicing concern over their representation feeling that they deserve equal representation with the other two towns. The Minister of Local Government has been aware and is considering a change in the current member structure for the 2008 Local Government elections.
Hope Town Council 1999-02
This was the first Council to serve on the actual Hope Town District Council. Elbow Cay(Hope Town) needed no elections as Suzanne Bethel, Scott Patterson, and Kevin Albury were elected unopposed. The same situation followed in Man-O-War as Roy Russell, Arthur Elden, and Richard Roberts were elected unopposed. In Great Guana Cay, Glenn Laing defeated Donna Sands in an election. The Chief Councillor and Deputy Chief Councillor are elected amongst the Council, not directly by the people. After this group was elected, they choose Roy Russell as the Council's first Chief Councillor and Suzanne Bethel to serve as the Deputy Chief Councillor.After three months into the term, Chief Councillor Russell insisted that the main office be in Man-O-War Cay, where he is resident. The Island Administrator disagreed and stated that Hope Town is the capital for the District and the office should always remain in Hope Town (Elbow Cay). As a result the Man-O-War Council members resigned in protest. Man-O-War Cay went without representation for almost a year until Harcourt Thompson, Jimmy Albury, and Tony Albury were appointed to serve out the term.
After the resignation of Chief Councillor Russell and the Man-O-War members, this left the Chief Councillor's position vacant and the Council elected Suzanne Bethel as the Chief Councillor and Kevin Albury as the Deputy Chief Councillor. Into the term, Scott Patterson resigned, and Roscoe Thompson finished out his term.
No major dilemmas occurred during the term of this Council, other than the fact that being a new District, Chief Councillor Bethel and other Councillors quickly discovered the challenges that her Council and the Councils to follow have discovered. The biggest being the diverseness of the different settlements even though they are within a tight nit district. Under this term, Chief Councillor Bethel also got to undertake the establishment of the Pelican Cay's Land and Sea Park. As the term ended, Chief Councillor Bethel after being active in Local Government and the Board of Works for almost forty years, retired from local government. Local residents still recognize her as their "Iron Lady" or "Margaret Thatcher".
Hope Town Council 2002-05
The dust from the General Election showdown in the Bahamas had not quite settled, and Local Government elections were set a month later. Elections in Hope Town had Jeff Key, Roscoe Thompson, and Diane Bethel, the victors, getting more votes to secure the three spots than Junior Meynard. In Man-O-War Cay, Walter Sweeting, Tony Albury, and Roy Russell won election defeating George Phillpot, Jeremy Sweeting, Gary Sawyer, and Bill Albury. Glenn Laing went in for Great Guana Cay unopposed.The Council members elected Walter Sweeting and their Chief Councillor and Jeff Key as their Deputy Chief Councillor.
From the get-go this Council dealt with a controversial matter. They attempted to award a Council member Tony Albury a government contract, and along with the fact that he was the highest bidder. Much controversy ensued, and after awarding the contract, Tony Albury resigned his post, and Haziel McDonald served his spot the remainder of the term. Much criticism arisen from surrounding Councils in Abaco including from Yvonne Key of the Central Abaco Council who publicly denounced the way they handled the matter.
Other than this matter, the life of this Council went relatively smoothly without much other controversy. The road contract for Hope Town was signed while in office, and this road stretched from the post office to Dorris Cove. As the term ended, they did petition that the Minister of Local Government realign the Hope Town District Council so that each town could have their own Council. The decision was deferred by the Minister.
Hope Town Council 2005-08
Elections in Hope Town had only one person nominate, Roy Cash. Appointed to the vacancies were Wayne Hall and Robert Malone. In Man-O-War Cay, Jeremy Sweeting nominated, and Joe Albury and Chris Albury were appointed. Glenn Laing was re-elected to serve a third term in Great Guana Cay defeating Anthony Roberts and Troy Albury.Wayne Hall was elected the Council's fourth Chief Councillor and Jeremy Sweeting elected as the Deputy Chief Councillor.
This Council has been viewed to be one of the most pro-active Councils. Shortly after taking office they went on a campaign with a white paper document that would implement zoning and building code laws for the district. After a four month campaign, the white paper was defeated in a referendum. Although the Council's idea was rejected by the district, Hope Town voters favoured the idea.
In May 2006, Chief Councillor Hall relocated to Nassau. The Council then elected Jeremy Sweeting as the Chief Councillor and Roy Cash as the Deputy Chief Councillor. Jeremy Sweeting became the youngest Chief Councillor in the country's history. Harold Malone was elected by default to take Wayne Hall's seat as a council member.