During a radio interview today on Real Talk with Ortland Bodie, members of the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay challenged the citizens of The Bahamas to value their natural resources and embrace the opportunity to be on the right side of history by supporting the Coalition’s efforts.
Environmentalist Samantha Duncombe and Bahamian environmental attorney Romi Ferreira charged the public to make a change by valuing the environment that sustains them.
A major component in affecting change relies heavily on the structuring of legislation.
“We don’t have the environmental regulations in place. If we had our Environmental Impact Assessment Act or the regulatory component to the Environmental Health Services Act, these things would effectively govern such activities,” said Ferreira.
“Remember, dredging in and of itself is not a bad thing; it is very necessary for development. But it’s the manner in which it’s done, where it’s located and the environmental sensitivities that go along therewith. There is no piece of legislation that I know about to refer to and this is why the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay is calling for an Environmental Protection Act. This is a serious deficiency in our legislative landscape and we’re calling on the government to relinquish this power from the office of the Prime Minister, encapsulate it and enshrine it in legislation and empower every single citizen, resident and visitor of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas with the knowledge to protect its birthright.”
The Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay is a licensed non-profit Bahamian corporation committed to preserving and protecting the delicate environmental, ecological and cultural balance of Clifton Bay and the surrounding community. Particular emphasis is given to encouraging effective land-use decisions and habitat restoration efforts that benefit the natural and human communities of the bay.
For more information about the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay, visit the website at www.protectcliftonbay.org. For press enquiries, please contact Fred Smith at fsmith@callenders.net or 242 727 5191.
Diane Phillips and Associates
