The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

In May 2018, I sent a long letter to the President, the new Council and the Director of Bahamas National Trust.

I still have not received a reply, let alone acknowledgment of receipt.

The letter describes a situation in our West Side National Park, a 1.5 million acre park on the west side of Andros, as follows:

A foreign commercial fishing vessel, the Eleven Experience, was anchored here for 6 months last year, in a place known locally as the “shark hole”, some call it the “tarpon hole”. A more magical place I do not know, for on any given day you can go there and see many sea turtles, tarpon, shark, fish, wading birds, and up until recently, complete solitude. A local guide I know calls it a “national treasure”. It really should be called a “sacred spot”.

It is said this boat, the Eleven Experience is returning in the next couple of days, for another six months. Another six months?

The vast majority of residents, the lodge owners, and most of the bonefishing guides here on Mangrove Cay, Andros find this unacceptable, as should all Bahamians, including the powers to be at BNT.

The very idea that a foreign floating fishing lodge is able to set up shop, profiting from, and likely degrading, a highly important Bahamian resource in our national park is beyond unacceptable. They are anchored in a spot that has immense local importance, with no supervision or witness to see what goes on there, day or night.

When I spoke to Mr. Eric Carey about this some months ago, he asked me “is it offensive or illegal?” It seems Mr. Carey has never seen this spot. He didn't ask me if it was damaging or degrading the resource, or if it were “taking” a Bahamian resource from Bahamians. He did not ask me if it degraded the beauty of the area by having a 74' yacht permanently anchored there for half of the year, a consideration mandated by the Bahamas National Trust Act. In my letter, I questioned whether the 24-hour a day running of their generator, the nutrient-laden water from showers and sinks, washing down the boat, or sewerage could possibly be benefiting this priceless spot. No response.

When I spoke to the captain of this vessel a few months ago, his argument for being there was how much money they paid in taxes, fees and property tax on Harbour Island, how much they purchased locally, how many local guides they used, as if.... as if, the resources of this country should be apportioned according to how much money was thrown around by foreigners. Money should not be of issue here. Unless, of course, the owner of this vessel, who also owns the Bahama House in Harbour Island I am told, has been making sizable donations to the BNT. Then, I would like to know how the “donations” made to BNT may have influenced Mr. Carey and others to ignore this assault on our national park.

Look, I understand the constraints on running a national park with no money. Mr. Carey himself told me that we have in essence, a “paper park” here.

But, does that mean we should ignore egregious behaviour within our national parks, simply for lack of resources to patrol them? Even when they are brought to the attention of BNT? Even when these foreign businessmen come into a small community such as ours, throwing money around, to “buy off the natives” as one local guide told me. Or, perhaps throw money at the BNT, to buy off the natives there?

Yes, Mr. Carey, this vessel the Eleven Experience does have all the necessary permits, licenses and paperwork for doing business in this country. However, they are in a National Park for God's sake. With the stroke of a pen, Mr. Carey, I believe you could limit the time any foreign vessel anchors in our national park waters. Make it 48 hours. Is this not reasonable? An emergency, temporary measure, until BNT found the resources to actually do its job. Have you spoken to legal council about your ability to do this, Mr. Carey? Or, are you satisfied that the “donations” given your organization are enough to sideline and ignore us here on Andros?

Many yachts come here, specifically to fish the West Side National Park. However, they anchor on the east side of the island, close to Mangrove Cay proper, in a protected anchorage, not in a national park. Further, we wholeheartedly welcome the hundreds of fishermen who come to Mangrove Cay every year. They have helped our economy and helped expose our locals to the realities of the larger world of tourism. Our local guides have made an excellent living, being able to “put bread in their children's mouths” and much, much more.

When the national park came in, we were told that traditional uses for locals would be permitted, such as sponging, crabbing and fishing. I don't think any of us sitting in these meetings could have imagined our most priceless spots being put up for bid to foreigners. When you look up the West Side National Park online, you immediately see that this “national park” takes up most of Andros. Does this mean that the BNT now controls our fate here?

The lodge owners here are reasonably upset. They have to jump through many, many hoops, pay big fees and endure required inspections that the Bahamian government has put before them to conduct business. Not so for the floating fishing lodges. Is this unlevel playing field fair to Bahamian business people? They tell me “no”.

The recent reports from the many local and international scientific and conservation organizations make very clear that we have decimated the natural world in our short lifetimes. We have decimated it. Our generation. Is there any other option for humanity, especially our “environmental protection organizations” than to understand that we have to shift into crisis mode? The very idea of a foreign commercial fishing yacht anchored in such a biologically important spot should be an assault to any thinking Bahamian, especially those with even an iota of biological and environmental understanding.

That this situation here on the west side of Andros even exists is more telling of the fact that the entire structure of BNT must be called into question. Large private donations should never be given to those in a position to affect regulation. This puts our country's natural resources, our sense of justice, and our limited democracy, in jeopardy.

This new government promised us to end the corruption and promote

transparency. This is exactly what we need at the BNT.

I think it is time to restructure the Bahamas National Trust.

Ms. Johnson and Mr. Carey, we want action on this grave injustice being done here on Andros, The “stakeholders” of Mangrove Cay would like to hear from you, and for you to hear from us, now.

NORMAN TRABULSY JR.

Mangrove Cay, Andros

November 05, 2018.