The Tribune

PLANS for two new national parks in Grand Bahama - at Northshore/Gap and East Grand Bahama - have the support of residents and The Bahamas National Trust (BNT), a public meeting organised by the government has heard.

Minister of Environment and Housing, Kenred Dorsett, and Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, V Alfred Gray, hosted the meeting at St Matthew’s Baptist Church in Pelican Point. Joining them were Minister for Grand Bahama Michael Darville, East End MP Peter Turnquest, Senator Tanisha Tynes, Local Administrator Sherrick Ellis, local government officials and representatives from The Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) and The Nature Conservancy.

Lakeshia Anderson, Grand Bahama National Parks Manager, said in her presentation of the proposed parks that it was the residents of the East End townships that had encouraged the BNT to increase the size of the proposed East Grand Bahama site to include Bursus Cay and the surrounding cays.

“The community has made a statement and as such the BNT has now extended proposed boundaries to include the Bursus Cay area’” she said. “Once the parks are approved we will continue community collaboration for developing the tools for park management.”

No objections were noted to either proposed protected area and at the conclusion of the event, Dr Darville asked for a show of public support for the plan, which he received.

The BNT team also took the opportunity to visit the Bursus Cay area. “It was beautiful to see such a pristine and untouched area,” said Eric Carey, BNT Executive Director. “During the visit we were able to see both flyfishing guides and local fishermen using this area. I’m was also very pleased to hear at the meeting that no permits have been giving for dredging in this pristine ecological environment.”