By JASMIN BONIMY, Guardian Staff Reporter

Jasmin@nasguard.com

Government officials hope to transform Eleuthera's world-renowned Preacher's Cave into a national preservation park, just days after two ancient skeletal remains were unearthed.

Speaking at a press conference to announce an American-based archaeological team's historic findings, Tourism official in Eleuthera, Raymond Harrison, said the park would benefit locals as well as visitors.

"We are looking to make this a national park because we want Bahamians to come and enjoy the cave as well," said Mr Harrison.

"What we have here is well beyond our imagination," he continued. "It lends itself not only to Bahamians and regular visitors, but we are looking at historians, archaeologists, and university students who study here. So, it is important that we look at what we have here."

Mr Harrison's comments came just four days after archaeologists discovered what is believed to be the 500-year-old skeletal remains of a Lucayan Indian, lying inches away from the remains of a 350-year-old Eleutheran Adventurer, just 150 meters beneath the cave's floor.

This latest discovery has prompted a pro-park lobby by the Preachers Cave site's Chief Archaeologist Bob Carr. "I think it is very important that this area becomes a park because my sense of The Bahamas–in terms of its richness–is the history, as much as its natural beauty," said Mr Carr. "I think The Bahamas needs the opportunity to get beyond the beach and the fun because tourism in the future, really is going to be involving more environmental tourism and heritage tourism. When they start opening these places up to that level of visitation, it is going to help make a big difference."

Meanwhile, Mr Harrison revealed that the new park would entail a caretaker's house and 12 Cabanas along the ridge area. He added that the government was also looking into developing nearby land that is owned by the island's Commonage Committee.

But newly appointed Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Tourism John Carey, admitted that the government has not set a definite time line to begin work on the proposed park.

Eleuthera's Preachers Cave gained its name and notoriety after 1648, with the arrival of Captain William Sayle and 75 settlers from Bermuda.