The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas National Trust (BNT) yesterday said leases that will give it oversight of some 20 National Parks are now being finalised, with 43 more still under government review.

Eric Carey, the Trust’s executive director, told Tribune Business: “We had presented the government a proposal for 43 new sites. That was contained in a white paper presented to the government in September 2018.

“The prime minister has acknowledged in his latest address to the nation that they were in possession of it, and were reviewing it. We are also in the process of finalising leases for some that were declared in 2015, but which were never finalised. This administration would finalise those, which I think was approximately 20 sites, and that was in 2015.

“We submitted an additional 43 in September 2018. That was under The Bahamas Protected project. Those are before the government for consideration. Included in that is Sweeting’s Pond, which is a top priority, because it’s such a sensitive site and we are trying to really get that protected to prevent the destruction of that critically important site. We are hoping that gets approved as priority, and we are working with BAIC to try and get that finalised.”

Mr Carey said there was both a need and opportunity for nature-based tourism at these sites, as well as food and beverage offerings for visitors.