The Tribune

COMPLIANCE with insurance requirements prompted Baha Mar to construct a nine-foot surge protection wall on the northern Cable Beach shoreline, says the Ministry of the Environment and Housing.

Following concern about beach access expressed by members of the public, the ministry issued a statement saying the wall would disappear after the beach re-nourishment project was completed.

The company is working to expand the public access to the beach for both Bahamians and Baha Mar's hotel guests, says the government.

"Baha Mar agrees with the Bahamas Government that all Bahamians have the legal right to access and enjoy the beach after the construction of the resort. The surge wall was simply an insurance requirement to protect the hotel structure from water damage and collapse in the event of a hurricane," said Kenred Dorsett, Minister of the Environment and Housing.

"The insurance company also required that the completion of the construction of the surge wall was to be finished, prior to the 2012 hurricane season. To date, it has been completed."

On June 15, the BEST Commission inspected the completion of the surge wall in compliance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements.

The sea wall now provides a baseline survey for the resort developers to measure their liability to repair the shoreline and put into place a strategy against any negative changes to the shoreline.

"Baha Mar applied for and signed a lease with the Bahamas Government only to rent the Crown Land where the beach is currently situated for its hotel guests. Baha Mar does not own the beach the Government owns the beach. The rumours circulating around that Baha Mar owns it are completely false," said Mr Dorsett.

"Baha Mar agrees that the dune will be raised and the beach will be re-nourished and extended to about 15 to 20 feet away from the surge wall.

"This will enlarge the beach property and re-establish the pre-development high water mark."

Baha Mar's developers have been working closely with the Bahamas Environment Science and Technology (BEST) Commission to mitigate the impact of the human carbon footprint on the Cable Beach natural environment, says the government.

In some instances, Baha Mar has increased its preventative measures to ensure their obligation to the Bahamian public, said the ministry.

"I am advised that the industry standard usually requires only one row of turbidity curtains.

"However, Baha Mar has secured the marine environment with a double layer of turbidity curtains.

"You can see it from a bird's eye view that it's working to control sediment travel from impacting on Goodman's Bay, as well as other beaches along the entire northern shoreline," said Mr Dorsett.

The Ministry of the Environment and Housing says it has encouraged Baha Mar to engage people with information updates in respect to its ongoing work.

In addition, the Bahamas Environment Science and Technology Commission welcomes the Bahamian public to obtain copies of documents concerning any Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Reports.

People can contact BEST at (242) 397-5508 at the Dockendale House location on the second floor.