By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
ENVIRONMENT Minister Kenred Dorsett yesterday pledged the government’s commitment to improving access to beaches and increasing the number of state-managed parks.
Mr Dorset also underscored the critical need for lifeguards and wardens during his contribution in the House of Assembly on the Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority Bill.
He added that the creation of the Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority to manage the public sites will open the door for a wide variety of jobs and lead to the establishment of a Bahamas Parks and Beaches Rangers Service.
“This unit would also oversee a uniformed guard force or wardens, which would provide many of our public parks, public beaches and monuments with security and patrol services, which can deal with access controls, security patrols of buildings and facilities and assisting members of the public and tourists,” he said.
“We are not just here to create another board but to create a framework for the proper management of our parks and beaches for their benefit. We are laying a strong foundation on which future leaders can build upon,” he added.
The primary function of the authority will be to control, plan, design, develop, administer, manage and maintain designated public parks and public beaches. It will also be engaged in conservation of local flora and fauna; removal of derelict objects; promote and support research; and serve as an advisory tool for the minister on the construction, rehabilitation, restoration and remediation of public beaches and ancillary recreational facilities on public beaches.
The authority also will be authorised to go into written agreements with owners and occupiers of land adjacent to the foreshore for the purpose of obtaining public access to public beaches, according to Mr Dorsett.
Yesterday in the House, Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis gave the first reading of a bill to amend the Bank and Trust Companies Regulation Act.
Comments
killemwitdakno 10 years, 2 months ago
Every time this man speaks it's a boldface lie. They don't upkeep the beaches and parks now.
Emac 10 years, 2 months ago
More jobs for the PLP dumb ass followers! Besides, what has this man done since taking office anyway? When will the PLP population clueless prime minister shuffle his good for nothin' cabinet?
concerned799 10 years, 2 months ago
Great idea! Lets make Lighthouse Beach the first new state park!
digimagination 10 years, 2 months ago
So much waffle... so little positive action.
B_I_D___ 10 years, 2 months ago
Well, since BTC is still private...and BEC soon gonna be private, guvment dem need to build up all new 'government agencies' to take up the slack as the dead weight gets dumped from the utilities.
Well_mudda_take_sic 10 years, 2 months ago
And to think the FNM and PLP alike have the nerve to talk all of this rubbish after they have given away most of our best beaches to foreigner developers! These foreigner developers have been allowed by our slimy corrupt politicians who represent them (as opposed to representing the interests of the Bahamian people) to line their pockets (and no doubt the pockets of some of our politicians) with the riches of our country's natural resources (sun, sand and sea) at the horrific expense of the Bahamian people's way of life and overall quality of living!! Christie and all of his court jesters need to be taken out back to the wood shed in the next general election where they too can be chopped up but good so that they are never ever again able to return to their political careers (just like we did with the FNM's corrupt elitist bunch of politicians in the last general election)!! We need new political parties and an entirely new breed of politician, one that respects and serves the interests of the Bahamian people.
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 2 months ago
State managed parks?!?!? They only ever get managed when the FNM is in power?!?!?
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