Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, was one of the many presenters at a forum on Thursday at Police Headquarters for ‘Keep Grand Bahama Clean.’ The forum's theme was, "Where are We and Where Do We Need to Go." Other presenters were Environmental Youth Ambassadors, Nina Sanchez and Derek Neilly; Troy McIntosh, City Maintenance and Management; Ellsworth Weir, Park Warden of the Rand Nature Centre; and Betty Bethel, Director at the Ministry of Tourism. Minister Darville is shown during the discussion phase. (BIS Photo/Andrew Miller)

FREEPORT, Grand Bahama - Four bills are currently being compiled to deal with the protection of the environment, said Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, on Thursday during the ‘Keep Grand Bahama Clean’ Forum held at Police Headquarters.

The Minister said it is his mandate to provide environmental protection for Grand Bahama and the surrounding cays and then quoted Gloria Arroyo, "The power of one, if fearless and focused, is formidable, but the power of many working together is better."

He added the forum provided an avenue for a cross-section of the community to come together with one goal in mind, the preservation of the island for generations to come, whether for residents or visitors.

In The Bahamas, continued the Minister, because the 700 islands and cays span across 100,000 square miles of ocean, 95 per cent of the country is under water. This makes our country a coastal nation, with the wealth of the natural resources coming from the sea.

Grand Bahama, said the Minister, has one of the world's longest underwater limestone cave systems, which attract tourists from around the world, along with a gorgeous beach Gold Rock, which has been featured on many television advertisements and international magazines. In order to maintain the 'idealistic perception' for visitors and investors, the island must be kept clean.

When the Keep Grand Bahama Clean Committee was formed in 2006, a group of individuals highlighted and attempted to eradicate excessive littering, indiscriminate dumping along with other pressing environmental challenges. "Thus far, this committee's efforts to accomplish these goals, by educating the wider community about the grave importance of achieving and maintaining a healthy environment, has proven to be fruitful. The Keep Grand Bahama Clean Committee has also played a significant role in raising awareness of environmental care and reminding community members that their actions today, affect the health and wealth of our people and our natural resources both presently, and futuristically."

The Minister commended the committee for their efforts through community projects, school presentations, competitions and puppet shows geared towards the youth, community forums and aggressive clean up campaigns in an effort to bring about environmentally conscious citizens.

"The Ministry for Grand Bahama's overall objective is to provide an improved quality of life for the residents of Grand Bahama. Therefore, this committee's commitment to the beautification of the island is in keeping with our mandate, as well as this administration's desire to rescue the island of Grand Bahama, and revitalize its economy."

Grand Bahama, he continued, is the industrial capital of the country and it also has a thriving maritime sector. Tourism is now making a significant contribution to the economy and as a result, measures must be put in place to secure our environment as these sectors thrive.

"In response, shortly after coming to office in 2012, the Ministry for Grand Bahama, the Grand Bahama Port Authority, and the Ministry of Environment and Housing worked together to compile four new pieces of legislation, namely an Act to Prevent Nuisances, an Act to Protect our Environmental and Waste Management and Act to Regulate Pollutants, which will allow for the protection, monitoring and regulation of our industrial sector on Grand Bahama, and protect the thousands of Bahamian workers employed in the industrial sector, as well as the 60,000 residents in Grand Bahama who are potentially exposed to industrial hazards, toxic wastes and other environmental dangers. These bills are in the process of becoming law; and as a result, industry will no longer be allowed to self-regulate but will have to follow the government's guidelines.

"The implementation of these four new bills is certainly good news for all of us on Grand Bahama because for the first time, from the signing of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement and the establishment of the 1969 Environmental Act, the government and the regulators will have greater authority and legal teeth to enforce laws and execute better control over what is happening in our industrial sector, and ultimately protect our environment."

The Minister further stated, "The Bahamas has also become a part of The Caribbean Challenge Initiative (CCI), which means that the government has made a commitment to protect its near shore marine and coastal habitats and to invest in the Biodiversity fund, which will provide sustainable financing for these nationally protected areas, or any other areas of environmental significance. Great progress has been made through the Bahamas Global Environment Facility funded project on Marine Protected Areas. An important component of this project is the development of a Sustainable Finance Mechanism. Though this is still in the works, having a functioning mechanism to finance environmental conservation in the future will greatly increase the country's chances of successfully maintaining healthy ecosystems as part of its sustainable development efforts."

Also giving presentations were Nina Sanchez and Derek Neilly, Environmental Youth Ambassadors, who gave their perspective on where the island is and where it should be. Troy McIntosh, City Maintenance and Management pointed out how much is spent on indiscriminate dumping and when speaking with people, has found that the mindset of residents needs to be changed as far as dumping is concerned. Ellsworth Weir of the Rand Nature Centre, have a presentation on the national parks and the problems they face with dumping and how it could affect the natural resources.

Ministry of Tourism Director, Betty Bethel, shared with those in attendance feedback the Ministry has gotten from visitors on what they expect when they come to Grand Bahama. Describing the visitors as 'savvy and knowledgeable', Ms. Bethel said they expect clean beaches and recycling, quality air and lots of fish around the reefs.

The island, she said, cannot afford to lose any tourism business, and certainly not to dumping.

Following the presentations, there were comments from those in attendance making suggestions on how to best deal with the problem.