The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

VETERAN educator and human rights activist Joseph Darville says the threat of climate change is real and hurricanes will continue to get more forceful with the increased rise in temperature.

“Hurricane Joaquin hit the southern and central Bahamas last year, and this year Matthew affected the central and northern Bahamas, and next year we might have it again,” he said yesterday.

Mr Darville said it is important that the country look at reviewing building codes and moving people away from the coast.

“We have to put in place stronger, more durable building codes. We have to elevate because by the end of the century most of these islands will be underwater. And we have an obligation to protect future generations so that they don’t all be swept out into the ocean,” he said.

He recalled the biblical story of Noah and the Ark. “Just like now it is a cycle of the earth and we are exacerbating it because of our carbon footprint,” he said.

Despite the devastation in West End and Eight Mile Rock wrought by Matthew, Mr Darville said he was pleased to see the amount of lobster being harvested from those communities.

“It was a beautiful experience to see the many lobster and seafood that were harvested in those communities and persons are selling them at very reasonable price,” he said.

He noted that while we can no longer get fruit from the land, Bahamians have to take from the ocean. “We must train our young people to take care of the ocean and to harvest responsibly from the ocean because when the land can no longer provide the food support we need, we must rely on the ocean for that support.”