The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Grand Bahama’s East End should be “promoted as a green economy” rather than an aragonite mining centre, a top QC yesterday arguing that this would “sustain an historic way of life”.

Fred Smith, the Callenders & Co attorney and partner, told Tribune Business that rather than embrace industry, the area’s economy should be built by capitalising on its already-strong eco-tourism reputation.

East End is already home to the Deep Water Cay resort and its bonefishing tours, and Mr Smith, who represents the Save the Bays environmental activist group, said the proposed project by Nassau Island Development Company would “totally transform” the area’s way of life.

Indicating his opposition to the Bahamian-owned firm’s proposal, Mr Smith said the proposed project location, Great Bursus Cay, had been identified by the Audubon Society, the US conservation group, as a rookery for thousands of winter migrating birds.

“We should be promoting a green economy that helps to develop the bonefishing grounds, of which there are half-a-dozen already, and promoting eco-tourism with snorkelling and free-diving, and sightseeing through old, prime bonefishing grounds,” Mr Smith told Tribune Business of his alternative vision for Grand Bahama’s East End.

“Some of the most beautiful creeks that flow from north to south are built out east. A little bit of imaginative thinking should help to promote a green economy that helps to sustain the historical, and environmentally friendly, way of life which people in the East End enjoy.”

As for Nassau Island Development Company’s project, Mr Smith said Save the Bays backed Kenred Dorsett, the minister of the environment, for saying the Government would “respect and obey the will of the people” in determining whether the necessary approvals will be granted.

And the well-known QC again urged the Government to amend the Local Government Act, and reverse the “denuding” of local council rights that has stripped them of all revenue-raising and licensing powers.

“The Local Government Act is a hypocritical act. It does not give true local government,” Mr Smith said. “It does not give local district councils the right to tax, to raise funds for local issues, or pass and enforce bylaws to regulate the environment.

“All the Local Government Act has done is create another layer of red tape for several licences.

“The FNM further denuded the Family Islands of self-rule by taking away the rights to 100 per cent of real property taxes raised, by taking away the rights to licence businesses, and by depriving local district councils of the right to say who is entitled to get Crown Land.”

Calling on the Christie administration to “come to the rescue of the people of the Bahamas”, Mr Smith urged that decision-making on Family Island-based investment projects should be left to local district councils, not the central government in Nassau.

And he told Tribune Business that since aragonite was seemingly to be found in East End, “if anyone is to make a profit, it should be East End and Grand Bahama.

“We are not for or against aragonite mining,” Mr Smith added. “Nassau Island Development Company is promising an industry that requires 500 employees, and that is going to totally transform the beauty, tranquillity and serenity of communities out east.

“That’s the problem with decision-making by central government in Nassau, where they have no appreciation for the close intimacy between the people and the flora, fauna and environment of the Bahamas in the Family Islands.”

No permits or approvals have been granted to Nassau Island Development Company yet, and the company appears to have a long way to go to obtain them, as no full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been completed.

Kay Smith, the former FNM Senator and Atlanta consul-general, who is acting as spokesperson for Nassau Island Development Company, last week told this newspaper that the firm was now awaiting a formal government response from the Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology Commission (BEST) on how it should proceed with conducting its EIA.

She urged Bahamians to reserve judgment on the project’s merits until the EIA and other studies were completed, and questioned whether the opposition expressed at last week’s Town Meeting was truly reflective of East End opinion.

But Mr Smith, arguing that Nassau Island Development Company should not be approved just because it was a Bahamian firm, “took issue’ with Ms Smith on that issue.

He repeated claims, first made by East End Grand Bahama MP, K P Turnquest, that some 50 persons were “bussed” in to the meeting from West End and Freeport, taking up “most of the seating”.

And Mr Smith questioned whether the heavy presence of Urban Renewal workers, including the initiative’s Grand Bahama head, Michelle Reckley, indicated that some elements of the Government had already thrown their support behind Nassau Island Development Company.

“Everyone from East End spoke out against the project,” Mr Smith told Tribune Business.

Emphasising that Nassau Island Development Company could mobilise within 90 days of receiving all necessary government approvals, Ms Smith last week said that while 300 construction jobs would be created at peak, this number would likely be trimmed by 50 per cent once the harvesting section would be completed. Full-time jobs will total 10-200.

She suggested that Nassau Island Development Company’s total investment would likely be more than the previously announced $50 million, and said the project offered the potential to diversify the economy, create new sources of foreign exchange, and boost entrepreneurship.

Apart from exporting aragonite, the developer also intends to use it to manufacture products at its own factory, and supply other Bahamas-based manufacturers wanting it.

“The owner of the company wants to locate it [the manufacturing plant] in east or west Grand Bahama, “ Ms Smith said.

Asked why Nassau Island Development Company was not seeking the incentives offered in the Port area, she replied: “We would expect we would have the Industries Encouragement Act, and get some concessions there.”