The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement chairman Darron Cash yesterday praised the Privy Council’s decision to grant Bimini Blue Coalition’s injunction request for dredging activities in Bimini to be stopped.

“I am concerned as a public official,” Mr Cash said. “I am concerned we had to go all the way to the Privy Council when the offence, when the extent of what certainly appears to be damage to the naked eye, appears so clear, we have as a country to ask ourselves what is missing.”

In speaking of damage, Mr Cash was referring to aerial photos of dredging activities in Bimini which show silt spreading across the water. Experts say the silt could choke organisms, including endangered coral reefs.

Mr Cash said: “All the talk about abandoning the Privy Council has its place but when you get to the point where something like this, that seems so clear, is allowed to continue without interference from the Privy Council, you have to wonder what’s going on, what’s the bigger story for us as citizens to think about.”

He added that the Coalition’s victory is a “victory for the small man.”

“This ought to be regarded as a victory for the small man and the rule of law. I also think the environmentalists ought to be praised for their consistency and tenacity in challenging a government that has clearly turned its back on its own people.

“Sadly this is a comprised government and one can see clearly from the response of the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Tourism and MP for Bimini that the interests of large investors have been placed ahead of the interests of their own people.

“Rather than bend over to protect the environment and the interest of people in Bimini, they have deafened their ears and turned a blind eye to all obvious signs that this project had gotten out of control.”

Mr Cash said: “When the extent of the damage is taken into consideration, if it is shown to be great, I believe the Environment Minister should consider tendering his resignation for failing the people so profoundly.”

He added that the government has not been transparent with processes related to the project.

“The reality of the matter is this government is putting the interests in this and other matters of the developers ahead of their own people and they are prepared to compromise things and not adhere to proper standards, to not be as stringent in following rules as they should,” he said.

“Their job has been to deny, to obfuscate, to mislead.”