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A Caribbean island was in an uproar after Jeff Bezos’ $500 million megayacht docked near its shores. The locals promptly gathered at a town hall meeting to discuss whether they needed to take action to protect their land from one of the richest men in the world.
As detailed by Knewz.com, Bezos and fiancée Lauren Sánchez made their appearance in Montserrat in January. Residents of the tiny island — just 11 miles long and seven miles wide — feared that the Amazon founder was visiting their slice of paradise to buy the land for business purposes.
This isn’t the first time Bezos’ megayacht, Koru, has caused a stir. On New Year’s Eve, customs officials in St. Barts searched Bezos’ yacht for three hours — likely to ensure compliance with government regulations.
Footage from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, also sparked outrage after tourists spotted the 417-foot vessel sailing past their resort. Some TikTokers called out Bezos for the egregious and distasteful display of wealth — as many Amazon workers regularly struggle to make ends meet.
According to the National Employment Law Project, the company has failed to provide livable wages for everyone. Warehouse workers, in particular, are known to receive below-average pay.
Moreover, megayachts are also highly polluting. The New York Post reported in 2023 that Koru produces at least 7,154 tons of planet-warming pollution annually — around 447 times more than the average American accounts for each year, according to researchers from Indiana University.
And while the Bezos Earth Fund has received praise for its philanthropic investments in environmentally beneficial projects, scientists have raised concerns over the billionaire having a hand in so many initiatives. They’ve argued that he could abuse the system for his own interests.
Ultimately, Montserrat locals’ fears proved to be unfounded this time around. After the United Alliance town hall, in which rumors swirled and panic spread, Prime Minister Reuben Meade calmed the situation with an official statement.
“He came here as a tourist. We leave his private business, private,” Meade said, adding that Bezos can’t buy land in Montserrat without an “alien land holding license,” per Knewz.com.
“So, we will know when business is being done,” Meade added. “… He comes here as a tourist. He spends money in Montserrat. Thank God he’s spending some money in Montserrat.”
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