The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

ENVIRONMENT and Natural Resources Minister Vaughn Miller says his ministry is concerned about increased incidents of unlawful land clearing in the country, while vowing to clamp down on those engaging in the illegal practice.

“We want to sound an alarm and we want to make it clear to Bahamians, non-Bahamians, whoever, what they’re doing except having a permit to do it, it is wrong,” Mr Miller said during a press conference at the Office of The Prime Minister yesterday.

“It is illegal. It is unlawful and we intend to enforce the law and we do not wish that any Bahamians or anyone will end up before the courts for this so we have sounded an alarm to cease, desist and act according to the law.”

While officials were unable to say how many areas have been cleared illegally in the country, Attorney General Ryan Pinder said he knew of at least 50 individual land plots in the Carmichael Road area.

He said some of those areas have protected and endangered trees.

“A total of over 340 acres of land has been illegally cleared contrary to the Forestry Act and contrary to, certainly, trespass laws and other laws in The Bahamas,” he told reporters yesterday.

“In fact, the prior administration in August just before the election had gone to Cabinet on this issue because a lot of this illegal clearing had occurred during COVID lockdowns where we were supposed to be locked down, but people were using that for nefarious reasons and clearing land illegally.

“The prior Cabinet had concluded that this should be deferred to the Department of Public Prosecutions. We have obtained those Cabinet conclusions and the backup information on that and we’re going to be advancing cease and desist orders and giving notice for everyone to get off the land and clear any structures that you have been on the land and to the extent to that that is ignored or not complied with, we will be proceeding with criminal prosecutions against those that are on the land illegally clearing the land or trespassing on government land.

“The lands in question, they do not own nor do they have approval to be on the land nor do they have approval to clear the land and there are some endangered trees on the land that you need special permits for and none of those permits were even applied for and those are criminal violations of themselves,” Mr Pinder also said.

Yesterday, Mr Miller also identified areas of concern in North Abaco and North Andros.

Officials from the Ministry of Environment also addressed concerns of suspected deforestation of the former Perpall Tract wellfield located in western New Providence.

“According to our records, that is a protected area,” said Danielle Hanek, officer in charge of the ministry’s forestry unit.

“And to our records, we have permits as well so even that we are taking note and our job is to report to say the amount of resources losses and the fact that they are in violation and don’t have a permit and we are to issue that to the commissioner of the police and also to the attorney general’s office who would then proceed with action.”

According to Ms Hanek, people found guilty of unlawful land clearing can face fines of up to $25,000 or two years’ imprisonment or both.