SAVE The Bays chairman Joseph Darville.
By Joseph Darville
Chairman, Save the Bays
A recent trip to Bimini, Cat Cay & Ocean Cay, by a team from Save The Bays, has us asking more questions of this Government than we can find answers to.
Day and night, the all too familiar sound of pilings being continuously driven into the ocean bed can be heard echoing across Bimini as an extension to the cruise ship pier takes place. Back in 2014 Save The Bays fought the destroying “developing” resort over its proposed pier, knowing the island was too small to bring a 1600-person ship to such a small island as environmentalists knew too well. The case got all the way to the Privy Council; but this was thwarted at the eleventh hour when the resort mysteriously managed to produce relevant missing approvals overnight along with government signatures.
Our fears were confirmed, the cruise ship stopped coming after a year, yet 12 dive reefs were suffocated in the process, coastal erosion soared, beaches on the west side of Bimini disappeared overnight, fish stocks dwindled, the infrastructure on the island proved it could not cope with overflowing trash, a lack of water and electricity on an already over-extended island and resort.
So why is the pier being extended yet again? Were the public or environment agencies made aware of this and whatever happened to the Mitigation Measures dating back to Phase 1 of developments, never to be heard of again? Bimini has no new clinic, no new school, no sea defences, no improved infrastructure. It did just get a fire truck, but that was courtesy of some American home owners who raised funds after the mail boat caught fire and not from the resort as promised.
So, what exactly did Bimini get in exchange for the loss of over 700 acres of mangrove forests and how has that end of the island managed to “grow” to three times the size of what was actually purchased by Gerado Capo as Bimini Bay Resort back in 1998 under the Quiet Titles Act through Ingraham’s Government? Which brings up the question, “How” was Bimini’s biggest piece of real estate - 650 acres plus - sold legally under that act to a foreign investor? The Sound, as it’s known to the local Biminites, was once not so long ago, the home to the rare small tooth sawtooth shark, millions of shrimp, turtles as well as the marine hatchery for multitudes of other species. Now you are lucky if you see anything except silted up muddy water from all the development, dredging and run offs, with not a single boom in sight to protect our waters.
My heart bleeds for what successive Governments have sold off, favouring the mighty dollar over Mother Earth’s diverse marine eco habitats. Which brings me to another question, just how much land has the resort created? And if the ocean bed cannot be sold, only leased from the Government, then surely the land created on and from the sea bed, should only be up for lease and not for sale for millions of dollars that are going into foreign ownership hands resulting from real estate companies selling million dollar homes? How are Bimini and Our Bahamaland benefitting?
The beach road that once was the gateway to East Wells - where generations after generations have gone for crab or to see a rare Bimini Boa, or to fish in peace and quiet - has been systematically deliberately destroyed by OPAC, Capo’s construction company, in order to create “private beach fronts” to its multi-million dollar beach homes starting at $3 million, with a private road and security check point behind the homes, making it inaccessible to all but home owners.
Let’s not forget that in Hurricane Irma dozens of the resorts floating docks from the Bahamas biggest mega marina bust open spewing tons of polystyrene particles into the ocean making it look like Bimini had had major snowfall. The resort made a show of clearing it up on the morning PM Minnis was arriving to assess the damage as Bimini’s protest groups videos of the spill went viral through various international environment agencies. A year later, the same type of floating docks are back in place as if waiting for it to happen all over again, while to this day, polystyrene is still washing up on our shores, some chunks several feet long, being ingested by fish and birds. Oh Bimini, how I miss the days when this special little Island in the stream could be described so aptly by Dr Martin Luther King as the “Promised Land”. If he were to see his Promised Land now, he would shed tears of blood!
Along the islands created upon the extensive seabed the little propagules mangroves by the hundreds, if not thousands and popping their two leaf heads above the shallow water, as if to say, please, please spare us so we can do the task entrusted to us by the Creator.
Who in God’s name and on behalf of the people of the Bahamas are monitoring what is continuing to happen in North Bimini Bay; who is monitoring what is happening on South Cat Cay and Ocean Cay, where the identical savage and wanton destruction of the sea beds are taking place.
Who, pray tell me - is it the BEST COMMISSION on behalf of the Prime Minister? Is it the Ministry of the Environment? Is it the elected representative for these areas of the Bahamas? We never see any of these entities in these areas to witness the ungodly devastation of our precious environment, seabed, mangroves, coral reefs and all marine life dependent upon these ecosystems.
Our Prime Minister just returned recently from the United Nations, touting the need for support for our nation to protect and mitigate against the ravages of Climate Change and Sea Level Rise. Yet, however, we continue to allow foreign entities to come in and extensively demolish those systems which form the very first defence against natural forces.
I earnestly pray at this Yuletide Season that we awaken to our God-entrusted stewardship and protect what has been so graciously and unconditionally gifted to us. Blessings to all!
Comments
realitycheck242 4 years, 10 months ago
Stay on the Job Mr Darville, and save the bays your job is just cause for the future preservation of this our precious Bahamas land and seas. Your work is indeed inspiring to the next generation.
The redevelopment of Ocean cay by MSC marine reserve has been a total transformation of that cay from the derelict state the sand dredging company left it in, to one of a modern paradise of which god has orginally intended it to be with complete restoration of the sea bed and coral reef system. and eco friendly buildings on land. (See video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9-cq28… Ocean cay today is now an example of how mankind destruction of one environment can be rectified.
Porcupine 4 years, 10 months ago
Mr. Darville, After a recent trip to Florida, I can feel your pain. We will not see any improvement in the near future, while we know we have very little time to save what is left. Sorry to be negative, but I'm only being realistic. The Bahamas, along with the US, does not have the educational background, nor moral acuity, nor common decency to face the realities of what we are doing to our living world. In the spirit of compassion, we must realize that most of us are forced into a position of focusing only on ourselves, and our immediate families. Most of us go to work at meaningless jobs that pay less than it takes to keep our families fed and pay the essential bills. When we get home, we are tired. Even too tired to teach our kids to read, it seems. This is not by accident. It is also not by accident that the world's resources, including the best properties, are being consolidated into fewer and fewer hands. The problem is greater than realizing that most all governments, including this Minnis one, are complete failures for the people and the planet. Not only would Dr. King be appalled at what he would see on Bimini now, he would be appalled at what kind of people we have become. There is no doubt about this. Dr. King would be appalled by our xenophobia, our homophobia, our racism, sexism, the huge economic gulf between our people. He would decry the murders and callous treatment of our children, and the poverty they are born into. Dr. King would be terribly saddened even more, as we proclaim that we are Christians, yet act daily in ways that defy any notion of what Christianity really means, from our so-called pastors, to those who follow them to church. Mr. Darville, like you, I have spent a good portion of my life immersed in, and studying tropical marine ecosystems. As you well know, there is no good news in front of us. NONE. Please call me anything you want, except a liar, because you know this, as well. I will continue to support those fighting for change, and try to be a clarion caller myself. But, the facts are in front of us. People and governments are now ruled entirely by money. Money has no morals, and those who have the most money are the same. I am not trying to dishearten you Mr. Darville. But, we must be realistic about where we are right now. Bahamians, as a whole, couldn't give a damn about our environment, our natural resources. We can't even get our people to take care of their children in a respectable manner. I believe that we have truly screwed up. All of us. The Bahamas will be paying for this, or our children will, I should say, in many ways. There is little doubt that our lack of foresight and planning will cause immense and unimaginable suffering for the people of this country in the very near future.
Hoda 4 years, 10 months ago
The masses, ordinary Bahamians, dont care about the environment and are to short sighted and content with ignorance. I was disturbed to watch on the news, and hear Bahamians around town, complaining that they have to pay a quarter for a thin plastic bag... why? Why? Why? Go buy a reusable bag. We refuse to think.
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 10 months ago
Resort World built that jetty in the gulf with no lee, no breakwater, the pier has no protection from weather at all. Resort Worlds could not use it about 70% of the time. Now they're doing more work to it?????
Who approved this? Obviously someone with no maritime experience.
To this day I believe Resort World is a money laundering operation. They could care less about tourism or filling their resort. Either that or they are the dumbest business people on earth....
The big question though is who approved a project that cannot do what it says it'll do? That jetty is useless as a ship pier....
birdiestrachan 4 years, 10 months ago
THE TRUTH it all depends on who gets the retainer fees and who is giving out the most beers . The Exuma Sea Park Bahamians are not allowed to catch a fish. a million dollars was given and a retainer fee. the man was allowed to dredge in the park.
The Cruise port in Grand Bahama close to the university FLOOD LAND. They will dredge and bring the ocean inland. many in GB suffered from sea surges. the advisor to the cruise port. Kay Forbes Smith. so it is all right.
Save the Bays is selective.
Hoda 4 years, 10 months ago
U really just say anything, lol.
Youu on the next story arguing for plastic bags lol. You need to write down your lies and fairytales so u can keep track.
sealice 4 years, 10 months ago
This is what the FNM has planned for Eleuthera???? Why do we keep voting FNM or PLP??? We need to change to a real democracy not this Two party One person (Hubbigiddy and Crispy) BS that has driven our country into the 4th world??
themessenger 4 years, 10 months ago
This is what the FNM has planned for Eleuthera???? YES, and this is also what the ignorant and greedy people living there clamored for despite being presented with more viable homegrown options. Sell your environment for some drinks and a t-shirt and some jobs raking the beach.
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