NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The environmental impact assessment (EIA), was not completed up to the time for the official groundbreaking of a multi-million dollar coastal resort in south Long Island, and with the report, that is essential for full-fledged construction to begin still pending, residents remain eager to take part in the commerce it will bring to the island’s crippled economy.
However, environmentalists say they have noticed an even bigger issue.
Bahamas Reef Education Environment Foundation (BREEF) Executive Director, Casuarina McKinney-Lambert says that although development is inevitable EIA’s are critical because they outline the potential damage that can be done showing the degree to which it will interrupt people’s livelihoods and or make them more vulnerable to the natural elements, especially in rough weather conditions.
In response to the delay on the EIA for the Long Island project, the environmentalist said that this situation is yet again, an example of the environment being an afterthought when it comes to major developments in the country, particularly in very sensitive areas.
“It’s hard to say that we are making the environment a priority if heads of agreements are signed before the environmental considerations are taken into account,” she said.
During the groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, Prime Minister Philip Davis said that they were still waiting on an EIA to be processed for the development. McKinney-Lambert explained that the EIA should be a part of the decision-making process instead of being something
“If we are considering developments in super sensitive areas like the south end of Abaco the south end of Eleuthera, the south end of Long Island; these are important areas ecologically but also economically and socially, they have major significance for our country as a whole and for each of these islands.
“[…] The reality is that a lot of these projects are being done here and they would never be given the approval to be done in the U.S., particularly ones that involve damaging seagrass areas and damaging mangrove areas they wouldn’t be given permission to be done,” she said.
McKinney-Lambert added that she has witnessed EIA’s that have been conducted that were ‘deeply flawed’ and projects that seem to have been given the certificate of environmental clearance without proof that an EIA was ever conducted.
When asked if the government is working on making sure environmental assessments are prioritized, Minister of Tourism, Investments, and Aviation Chester Cooper said that every project that is approved must include an environmental assessment.
“When we talk about a delay in the completion, what that means is that full-scale construction cannot happen; no dredging or no building of seawalls or anything impacting the coastline cannot happen until that environmental plan is in place,” he said.
“So I’ve heard some comments where a certain environmentalist was talking about insulting local environmentalist, that’s (the EIA) already what’s done already its mandated by law, its in the requirement and there is no approval of any development unless there’s consultation with local environmentalists.”
Cooper said: “[…] We always make it clear to every developer that unless they pass the environmental protocols we have nothing to discuss so we don’t compromise our environmental integrity.”
Cooper added that they believe in balanced development and that early next year, the government will be conducting some restructuring in Bahamas Invest.
“We’re putting in place a compliance unit to ensure there is full compliance with all of the elements of the heads of agreement so we are doing well in that area.”
