Romi Ferreira, Save The Bays Director; Lisa Benjamin, Attorney and Social Activist; Sam Duncombe, Founder of reEarth and event Moderator; and retired Justice Jeanne Thompson, Assistant Professor
|
Nassau, Bahamas – Save
The Bays (STB) and the College of The Bahamas have announced a two-year
partnership to raise awareness of the vital importance of citizens rights and
government transparency through a series of lectures and panel discussions.
The
first in the “Our Right to Know” series will be held on Wednesday, October 22
in the Harry C. Moore Library from 6 - 8:30pm. It will focus on the urgent need
for a freedom of information act in The Bahamas. The Bahamas National Trust,
BREEF and re Earth have also agreed to be sponsors of the lecture series.
The
panelists will be: retired Justice Jeanne Thompson, assistant professor Lisa
Benjamin and attorney and social activist Romi Ferreira. Their discussion will
be moderated by reEarth founder and STB director Sam Duncombe.
“Access
to information is important for transparency within governance and to foster
public participation in developmental decisions,” said Professor Benjamin, a
lecturer in COB’s law program.
A key
focus of the series will be the current lack of government transparency when it
comes to the approval of developments – particularly those that are likely to
have a negative impact on the surrounding environment.
Professor
Benjamin said: “In a small island developing state such as ours, public
participation is arguably necessary in order to promote better environmental
decision making, and to assist with the delicate balance of sustainable
development.”
Duncombe,
a longtime environmental advocate said: “I am delighted that COB has partnered
with the NGO community in bringing these poignant issues to the public. We look
forward to collaborating further with the college to bring current critical
issues and knowledgeable speakers to the fore and have the public actively
engage in discussing them.”
Ferreira,
also an STB director who has worked for decades to bring the law, citizens’
rights and environmental conservation together, said the timing of the lecture
series could not be better.
“Save
The Bays has been working very hard to transmit its message of transparency,
accountability and environmental responsibility to the next generation of
Bahamians, understanding that the fight to preserve the natural treasures of
The Bahamas will ultimately fall to them.
“This
partnership with COB will bring many bright young minds together with other
concerned citizens and experienced advocates, just as the battle for freedom of
information is coming to a head.
The
lecture comes just days before a Freedom of Information Street Party, to be
held on October 25 from 4 - 8pm at Van Brugels on Charlotte Street, hosted by
STB and its community partners.
The
event is free and will feature live music and food and drink for sale.
“The
goal of the street party is to attract a huge turnout and demonstrate to the
government that two years is too long to wait for a Freedom of Information Act.
I have no doubt that very soon, all the concerned citizens of The Bahamas will
join forces to present a unified front to our leaders in demanding
transparency, accountability and the rule of law,” said Lindsey McCoy, CEO of
STB.
The
focus of the second installments in the series, the date of which will soon be
announced, will be importance of conducting transparent Environmental Impact
Assessments before developments are given the green light, and the critical
need for an overarching Environmental Protection Act to preserve the natural
resources of The Bahamas for the benefit of future generations.
Founded
just over a year ago, Save The Bays has taken The Bahamas by storm. The
grassroots effort to protect ecologically significant areas of the archipelago
from unregulated development has transformed into a broad-based coalition that
is at the forefront of both social and environmental issues. Calling for an
environmental protection act, oil spill legislation, the freedom of information
act and much needed conchservation laws.