Who will stand up?

The state of tourism is still a hot topic in the news today. The Minister of Tourism, Hon Neko Grant, made a recent visit to Grand Bahama to bring more focus on the tourism product on this island. The overall tourism arrivals are in decline, as noted by the recent study by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. The government is working with international organisations to establish and develop greater interaction between the tourism industry and agriculture. And Minister of State for Culture Charles Maynard has asserted that tourism-oriented ventures should be managed by Bahamians and leased to foreigners, in an effort to bring greater control and influence from a Bahamian perspective.

All of these concerns and efforts are important aspects of our tourism character and development. Not only must we continue to expand and find linkages between various areas of our domestic economy, we must also identify weaknesses, repair breaches, and court new relationships with neighbours and friends.

Our environment is an essential element of our tourism personality and product, as we have discussed from various aspects in the past. Protecting it must be a high priority, and infrastructural development and investment must be a close second priority. Are these in direct conflict with each other? Sometimes! Maintaining a balance between the two can be difficult and even impossible at times.

Take, for example, the development of Bimini Bay Resort on North Bimini. This combination condominium/hotel has literally obliterated the pre-existing mangroves and sand flats of the north sound. Mangrove breeding grounds and fish nurseries, that a supply the seas far beyond Bimini itself, have been buried, leaving some species decimated. The smalltooth sawfish is but one endangered species that has been affected. Phase II of the development is on a much larger scale than Phase I and will put such a strain on the ecology that the impact is likely irreversible.

But who will stand up and say no to millions, sometimes billions, of dollars of investment, jobs, and a massive influx of revenue to the local economy? We say someone better learn to do it soon, before there is very little of our Bahamas left.

~ejr~