Prime Minister Perry Christie should break his silence over the Inagua fish farm controversy, it was claimed last night.
He should stand up in public and say exactly what he feels, said Inagua’s chief councillor, Captain Stephen Fawkes.
“It is up to the prime minister to take a position on this,” said Captain Fawkes, “The people here are furious.”
Controversy erupted last week when Californian investor George Lockwood withdrew from his $20 million fish farm scheme for the island.
He said he was tired of endless delays in trying to push his ideas through. And he blamed the government’s science adviser Dr Livingston Marshall for adopting a “hostile” posture towards his project.
Inaguans are angry about the loss of the fish farm because 95 per cent of the island’s women are unemployed. They felt it could secure the island’s economy for generations to come.
One councillor said the Lockwood proposal was the first serious major development prospect for the distant island since the 1930s, when its first salt plant was established.
Responsible
But Dr Marshall claimed on ZNS last week that Mr Lockwood himself was responsible for the hold-up because he had failed to provide a promised environmental impact assessment.
This, in turn, was denied by Mr Lockwood, who said an EIA was always going to be part of the deal once he had been given reasonable assurances by the government.
Now Captain Fawkes has come up with another plan, saying government itself should provide the assessment for potential investors.
Then Mr Lockwood, if given the go-ahead, would reimburse the government as part of his investment.
“For now, we are adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach,” said Captain Fawkes, who is marine superintendent with Morton Salt, the island’s only significant employer.
“But we all feel the prime minister should come forward and make a public statement regarding this matter and then we shall see whether Mr Lockwood is in or out.
“I think Mr Lockwood might still be prepared to bring this to fruition if we get some answers.”
Captain Fawkes said that, despite squeals of protest from environmentalists, he had not seen anyone from the BEST Commission in Inagua in connection with the proposal
Damage
“They talk about damage to the reef system here, but there is no reef system in the area we are talking about,” he said.
“There are a few coral-heads, then the water goes straight down. I know because I am a diver and I am as concerned about the environment as anyone else.”
Captain Fawkes hit out at critics who suggested Inaguans should be creating their own work instead of relying on foreigners.
“The people here are hard-working and we also have our share of entrepreneurs,” he said.
“We have people in eco-tourism and others doing all kinds of things. “But if Nassau can benefit from foreign investment, why shouldn’t the outposts of the Bahamas benefit in a similar way?”
Captain Fawkes said it was up to the government to put in stipulations for any potential investor. Then it was up to the investor to comply. Inaguans claim the fish farm controversy could have far-reaching political implications.
They say Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Alfred Gray – the island’s MP – will be “dumped” at the 2007 general election because of the government’s failure to give the farm the green light.
Source: The Tribune
March 29, 2005
