Christine Todd Whitman, former governor of New Jersey and former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

Sustainability Conference spurs conversations on how to make The Bahamas a model of sustainable development for the world

Eleuthera, Bahamas - Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI) hosted The Hon. T. Brent Symonette, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; The Hon. Alvin Smith, Speaker of the House of Assembly; The Hon. Desmond Bannister, Minister of Education; and Christine Todd Whitman, former governor of New Jersey and former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency this weekend at its 2010 conference on small island sustainability.  Each government official took time to share thoughts on how Eleuthera can become a model for sustainable development, both in The Bahamas and throughout the world.

During her keynote address, Governor Whitman recognized the challenges The Bahamas faces as it works toward a sustainable future.  “The rewards of early commitment to sustainability are not perhaps as tangible today as we would like them to be, and they’re hard to prove,” said Governor Whitman.  “But you can’t wait until that evidence is out there to start to take action.  By then it’s too late when you’re talking about sustainability.  You have to move forward sooner.”  Governor Whitman was also quick to point out that since New Jersey and Eleuthera have many similarities, she felt comfortable sharing her experiences: both places have a 110-mile Atlantic coastline, both heavily depend on tourism, and both places are centers of innovation.

The Hon. T. Brent Symonette, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs

The Deputy Prime Minister challenged conference participants to be proactive in solving problems of sustainability in The Bahamas.  “The government is challenged in producing a lot of the answers you want,” said The Hon. Brent Symonette.  “So sometimes it is helpful for you to come to the government with the solution to the problem, not ask the government to develop the solution.”

During the afternoon panel discussion, participants examined CEI’s Charter for Sustainable Development of The Bahamas and made suggestions on how these principles could best be put into action.  Panelists included: Shaun Ingraham, Eleuthera community member; Joy Jibrilu, Director of Investments for the Bahamas Investment Authority; Mike Hartman, an eco-developer in The Bahamas and Costa Rica; Eric Carey, Executive Director of Bahamas National Trust; and Michael Northrop, Sustainable Development Program Director of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.  CEI will continue to solicit input on the charter at www.greenbahamas.wordpress.com .

About Cape Eleuthera Institute

The Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI) promotes sustainable development through education, tropical marine and terrestrial research, and modeling systems that encourage responsible resource management.  CEI collaborates with The Island School, a three-month semester leadership program for high school students.  Participants have come from over 300 schools around the world. For more information visit www.ceibahamas.org and www.islandschool.org. Both programs receive support from the Cape Eleuthera Foundation.