The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

A FAMILY Island resident claimed that a newly implemented regulation that prohibits the removal of seaweed from beaches is “outrageous” and questioned the legitimacy of an island administrator’s erosion claims.

Lyman Pinder, part-time resident of Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, alleged that “truckloads” of uncollected seaweed have been left to pile up on beaches there after being notified in writing that the removal of seaweed was now considered “against council regulation” by the local administrator’s office.

He said officials have argued that the build up of seaweed on beaches would guard against erosion.

He called that explanation “ridiculous” and added: “The island is 1.5 miles long, and they are allowing that entire beach to become covered in the stuff for absolutely no reason. It stretches the entire shoreline. No one can swim or use the beach in comfort because they have turned the country’s most beautiful beaches into the country’s dirtiest”.

He said: “Anyone that knows how the seawater works, knows that seaweed doesn’t stop beach erosion.”

Lyman Pinder, owner of Pinder’s Customs in New Providence, admitted to removing the seaweed that settles on the properties lining the shoreline, but claimed that it is “ridiculous to sit back and watch the seaweed and garbage pile up and not remove it”.

He added: “Over on Harbour Island the residents have always been allowed to remove seaweed and clean up their beaches. Why is it that we aren’t allowed to do the same?”

Chief Counsellor of Spanish Wells, Abner Pinder said the administrators of the community are not concerned about Harbour Island’s regulations and will not allow Lyman Pinder to confuse the two.

He claimed that Lyman Pinder is trying to use the concept of dirty beaches to “procure seaweed for his own use.”

He said: “If he (Lyman Pinder) wanted to tell the truth he would have given the real reason he was collecting the seaweed. It has nothing to do with cleaning beaches or wanting the best looking beaches. He doesn’t want to buy fertilizer for his crops. He has a large farm that he carries the seaweed to”.

Abner Pinder added: “Myself and a few other persons from the administrator’s office went there and we saw in some areas seaweed piled up and being used to help fertilize crops.”

“We made an executive decision to leave the seaweed on the beach to prevent erosion,” the chief councillor added. “Instead of the waters eating away at the sand, it pulls away at the seaweed on the beach. He wants to make it an issue because he wants the seaweed for his personal use.”

Jolton Johnson, Spanish Wells district administrator, said that the removal of seaweed had been restricted because the manner in which Lyman Pinder was retrieving the seaweed was “a major problem”.

In the letter obtained by The Tribune, Lyman Pinder was told that his actions had now been classed as illegal and was asked to “cease immediately”.

The letter stated: “It has been brought to the attention of the Spanish Wells District Council that your workers are still removing seaweed off of the beach, sometimes driving the vehicle on the beach even after the council posted a notice stating that it is against council regulation.”

The document added: “Also be advised that it is against the law to drive a vehicle on the beach.”

Lyman Pinder said: “I don’t understand this new regulation. It makes no sense to allow the seaweed to pile up, it doesn’t stop erosion, and it takes forever for seaweed to wash back into the sea. The water pushes it inland most of the time and if no one moves it, it stays there until it dries up and breaks apart.”

He added that despite the councillor’s and island administrator’s rulings he will continue to do as he has done his entire life, collect and remove the seaweed from the beaches of Spanish Wells.

“I was born on that island, raised there for 17 years, I have a home there and now I go back every two weeks. All of my life I have removed the seaweed when it piles up and now they are saying that it is a problem. This doesn’t make any sense.

“All of a sudden, a couple of weeks back I saw this sign that said that seaweed removal was now prohibited.”