Senator and Chairman of the Committee to Protect and Preserve the Bahamas for Future Generations Jerome Fitzgerald points out the erosion of the beach to committee members Ryan Pinder and Ricardo Smith.

Published On:Wednesday, March 03, 2010

By NOELLE NICOLLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

nnicolls@tribunemedia.net

THE current level of beach erosion at Saunders Beach has alarmed some environmental activists, who are calling on Environment Minister Earl Deveaux to be held accountable.

The Committee to Protect and Preserve the Bahamas for Future Generations questioned the validity of findings in the environmental impact assessment conducted to assess the impact of the harbour dredging and Arawak Cay extension.

The environmental review concluded Saunders Beach would not be negatively impacted by the development work, although there would be slight alterations to tidal flows and wave directions and direct loss of seagrasses, sponges and small corals.

"Even though we warned that the beach would slowly disappear, even we are surprised at the deterioration in six short months. The beach has eroded three to four feet in certain areas and rocks are now exposed where there was sand a few months ago," said Jerome Fitzgerald, committee chairman, at a press conference yesterday.

Mr Fitzgerald called for the resignation of the Minister, who he said has lost credibility over his handling of the harbour dredging and container port relocation. He said Saunders Beach has been the best quality beach for "regular Bahamians" for generations, based on the quality of sand and water.

Minister Deveaux said the coverage of Mr Fitzgerald's public relations effort equates to an exercise in pandering to the Progressive Liberal Party senator's ego. He claims Mr Fitzgerald has a political agenda, as he has publicly declared his ambition to contest the member of parliament seat for Marathon, currently occupied by Mr Deveaux, in the next general election.

"Mr Fitzgerald will have to find me on the field of battle in Marathon to win. I am going to concede the weather has had an impact on the contour of the beach and if you wait a few weeks the same weather wave action will bring the sand back," said Mr Deveaux, who visited the beach yesterday.

"The weather this year has been the worst since the sixties, and the weather this last couple of weeks has been particularly bad. It has had a significant impact on the entire northern shore of the Bahamas. It has nothing to do with Arawak Cay. It has to do with long sustained wave action and the relentless pounding of the sea," said Mr Deveaux, who pointed out Cabbage Beach, Jaws Beach, Caves Beach, and several other beaches have suffered similar effects.

Saunders Beach has eroded at the most western end almost to the point of fully exposing the break wall, at some points. Withering roots from the casuarina trees, which formerly lined the beach, can be seen intertwined with the last mounds of sand. Rusted metal, formerly buried beneath up to three feet of sand are now exposed on the shore line.

"Our purpose today is not to talk about the port being moved to Arawak Cay or that it should be at Southwest New Providence. This is not political as there is sufficient blame to be cast in both directions. This is a plea, a cry for help to save and preserve these beaches. It is also, to make the public aware and to demand that the government call the experts to attend to both beaches to limit or abate this erosion," said Paul Moss, who is also a committee member.

The Minister indicated the relentless wave activity that impacted Saunders Beach, also resulted in the destruction of the break wall on the shore of the Western Esplanade. He said a company was hired to repair the wall, but was unable to pour concrete up to three weeks into the contract, because of poor weather conditions.

"The only permanent solution to that kind of natural occurrence is to put whale tales in the water and have constant human interaction. Coastal engineers generally design impediments to shape the waves as they come to the shore and direct the sand and coastal activity to form the beach in a particular direction. This can be complemented with dune stabilisation and the proper planting of vegetation like sea grapes, button wood, sea purslane, sea oats and railroad vine," said the Minister.

Once the inland construction is completed, the sand dune stabilisation activity will commence with the planting of supportive vegetation, according to the Minister.