The St David’s Island Historical Society has rejected Google’s proposal to site its cable landing station (CLS) in Annie’s Bay, Bermuda. The President of the St David’s Island Historical Society, Rick Spurling, has urged Google to to remove Annie’s Bay from its list of potential locations for its cable landing station, stressing that the cultural and historical significance of Annie’s Bay, make it “sacrosanct”.

Annie’s Bay Park is home to a memorial for St David’s families that were forced to give up their land for the war effort and is the only historical bay that was not destroyed by the US Military takeover during WW2.

However, a Google representative, Fiona Beck said that the decision on the site for the cable landing station is yet to be finalized. Beck affirmed, “The location for the cable landing station is still under discussion, with the St David’s area being a key area of interest.”

St David’s Island in Bermuda is among the areas of interest for Google’s upcoming Nuvem subsea cable, which will connect Portugal, Bermuda, and the United States. However, Annie’s Bay Park, the suggested location, holds historical significance. It is home to a memorial honoring St David’s families who were compelled to relinquish their land for wartime needs. 

The Bermuda Land Development Corporation is also exploring a proposal to maintain Annie’s Bay as a park. However, Spurling contested this idea, claiming it’s incongruous with the cable landing unless a liberal interpretation of “Annie’s Bay” is used.

In 2020, the Bermuda Cable Communications Protection Act sanctioned two locations in Bermuda, including St David’s and Devonshire, for cable installations. Presently, all five of Bermuda’s existing subsea cables are situated in these areas.

Google’s Nuvem cable project necessitates a new, sizable landing station. The ‘Submarine Cable Initiative, Google and Nuvem’ report by the Government of Bermuda describes the project as a substantial cable landing station that will allow for multiple cable landings.