National Trust concerned about development:
http://www.thenassauguardian.com/national_local/331266562497970.php

"The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) is asking the government to verify whether permits have been issued for the South Seas Development taking place near the Bonefish Pond National Park.

"I spoke with the developer, Tennyson Wells, [on Tuesday] and he says that they don't have the permits that are needed but he was awaiting a letter from the government to give him permission, nonetheless, the tractors are going over there," said Eric Carey, BNT Executive Director."

Millionare Tennyson Wells why you doing this man? Because you know you can get away with it. The development is right near the Bonefish Pond National Park......sad....

What does Tennyson Wells have to say?
Tennyson Wells responds to National Trust's concerns:
http://www.thenassauguardian.com/national_local/331725528729177.php

"A developer confirmed yesterday that he had been given permission by the BEST Commission to proceed with the South Seas project near the Bonefish National Park,

Former parliamentarian and Cabinet minister Tennyson R. G. Wells told The Guardian that he was told to proceed by the Bahamas Environment Science and Technology (BEST) Commission."

Tennyson - the same liar how said he had no involvement with his wife's fishing fleet that raped the reefs of the bahamas for years - our reefs were just starting to come back to life in abaco then they started with the golf courses....

Nicki Kelly's column in the Punch was about this issue today.
She was talking about how Tennyson Wells and his partners like former FNM MP Frank Watson are getting away with the development.

She said originally BEST wasn't going to grant permission but they ended up doing so and also pointed out BEST has issues that need to be dealt with, like former employees running to work for developments they approved.

She was also talking about that raid by police on that party in Miller Creek (it was discussed here a while ago). She was saying how it was strange that the police would come and try to drive out these people who were protesting the development.

Well's and his company still don't have all the right permits, but they still going right ahead.
I quote from the article:
"Works Minister Earl Deveaux told the press that he does not know whether his Ministry will stop the South Seas development at this stage, but that the government would take all requests made by the National Trust seriously.
Translation: The Trust is free to complain, but don't be surprised if Mr. Wells and Mr. Watson are given the go-ahead to run their channel right through Bonefish Park and to hell with the consequences."

Shame on MP Earl Deveaux for not enforcing the law. Wells is breaking the law, he should be arrested and construction should be stopped.

Nicki Kelly's column in the Punch was about this issue today.
She was talking about how Tennyson Wells and his partners like former FNM MP Frank Watson are getting away with the development.
She said originally BEST wasn't going to grant permission but they ended up doing so and also pointed out BEST has issues that need to be dealt with, like former employees running to work for developments they approved.
She was also talking about that raid by police on that party in Miller Creek (it was discussed here a while ago). She was saying how it was strange that the police would come and try to drive out these people who were protesting the development.
Well's and his company still don't have all the right permits, but they still going right ahead.
I quote from the article:
"Works Minister Earl Deveaux told the press that he does not know whether his Ministry will stop the South Seas development at this stage, but that the government would take all requests made by the National Trust seriously.
Translation: The Trust is free to complain, but don't be surprised if Mr. Wells and Mr. Watson are given the go-ahead to run their channel right through Bonefish Park and to hell with the consequences."
Shame on MP Earl Deveaux for not enforcing the law. Wells is breaking the law, he should be arrested and construction should be stopped.

Need I ask which party is in power?

I been waiting for Hubert Minnis or which ever minister oversees parks to say something on this issue.

Nicki Kelly wrote a little about the Well's development again this week in her column in the Punch:

..."Last Tuesday's column dealing with the Bahamas National Trust's concern over the environmental threat to Bonefish National Park from the South Seas development, and the BEST commission's approval of the project, provoked an angry response against both.
One reader said she was amazed by the hypocrisy of the BNT, which had "found its mouth" over the Bonefish Park, while remaining silent over the potential damage to the south-western reefs from the Albany and South Ocean developments.
"Those reefs have been on the BNT's 'park wish list' for well over 10 years. But between all the development going on out there and BEC, those reefs are history," she wrote.
Another reader thought the BEST commission needed to "close up ship and go home because it is not clear whose interests they serve. Why are they there?" she asked. "I hope that one day integrity and the greater good will prevail over greed in the Bahamas."
The writer signed herself "a Bahamian who wishes I could pack my bags and leave this hell hole where authority has gone to sleep and morons rule."...

Did anyone read this? It was included in an article in the Guardian this morning concerning Pierre Dupuch. He was on 102.9 Island FM talk radio yesterday.

Dupuch said successive governments need to reevaluate how they allow developers to conduct business in the country.

He said the time has come for The Bahamas to stop allowing developers to destroy the country's natural resources for short-term gain.

"A golf course is the worst thing to put over a water table, all of the insecticides leak into the table. If you went to the U.S. and offered to build a city over a gold mine, they'd laugh you out of town," he said.

"That we have to give up something for a short-term gain (is foolishness). Why can't we have development that builds around our natural resources. The people will invest in just as much money. You don't have to destroy things to develop."

Dupuch said Bahamians are allowing their country to be sold out from under them.

"We love to be lied to. The people in charge are responsible. We have weird things happening, we're selling our country out. Fifty years from now your children in The Bahamas won't know what a beach looks like because there will be none. We're destroying our assets," he said.

This happened under the PLP's watch. The Albany Heads of Agreement says that the government will acquire people's land. Government is going to take this land for somebody else's private purpose. Law is based on precedence. We take it and we say that we will acquire this land for this developer, sounds good. But now the precedence has been set."

Dupuch said Bahamians should have the ultimate say as to whether or not they want to sell their land to a developer.

"A lot of out islanders hold on to tracts of land. Ten years from now some sharp shooter comes in here, he buys off a politician who might be in the House (of Assembly) today and acquires a person's land. The developer makes a fortune and leaves the country. You call that fair? Shouldn't you own your property and say how it's supposed to be disposed of," he said.

"The FNM came in and brought in three realtors who say what the property is worth. You might not want to sell it, you might want it for your grandkids, you might want to say no. The people are not being told the truth. We have all of these spin offers around who come and tell people what they want them to hear."

Did anyone read this? It was included in an article in the Guardian this morning concerning Pierre Dupuch. He was on 102.9 Island FM talk radio yesterday.
Dupuch said successive governments need to reevaluate how they allow developers to conduct business in the country.
He said the time has come for The Bahamas to stop allowing developers to destroy the country's natural resources for short-term gain.
"A golf course is the worst thing to put over a water table, all of the insecticides leak into the table. If you went to the U.S. and offered to build a city over a gold mine, they'd laugh you out of town," he said.
"That we have to give up something for a short-term gain (is foolishness). Why can't we have development that builds around our natural resources. The people will invest in just as much money. You don't have to destroy things to develop."
Dupuch said Bahamians are allowing their country to be sold out from under them.
"We love to be lied to. The people in charge are responsible. We have weird things happening, we're selling our country out. Fifty years from now your children in The Bahamas won't know what a beach looks like because there will be none. We're destroying our assets," he said.
This happened under the PLP's watch. The Albany Heads of Agreement says that the government will acquire people's land. Government is going to take this land for somebody else's private purpose. Law is based on precedence. We take it and we say that we will acquire this land for this developer, sounds good. But now the precedence has been set."
Dupuch said Bahamians should have the ultimate say as to whether or not they want to sell their land to a developer.
"A lot of out islanders hold on to tracts of land. Ten years from now some sharp shooter comes in here, he buys off a politician who might be in the House (of Assembly) today and acquires a person's land. The developer makes a fortune and leaves the country. You call that fair? Shouldn't you own your property and say how it's supposed to be disposed of," he said.
"The FNM came in and brought in three realtors who say what the property is worth. You might not want to sell it, you might want it for your grandkids, you might want to say no. The people are not being told the truth. We have all of these spin offers around who come and tell people what they want them to hear."

Here is a link to the article:
http://www.thenassauguardian.com/national_local/336361575307802.php

Govt issues dredging stop order:
Article by Tribune Staff Reporter alowe@tribunemedia.net

...."Government has issued a stop order calling on developer Tennyson Wells to cease his project's dredging activities that the Bahamas National Trust is concerned could damage the environment until a futher impact assessment can be carried out.
Former Bamboo Town, MP Mr. Wells told The Tribune yesterday that while the cease and desist order issued by the Department of Lands and Surveys only related to the channel that he was dredging, and allowed for the continuation of other dredging elsewhere on his development, he has in fact halted all dredging. This comes after the Bahamas National Trust said in early May that the channel that Mr. Wells and his fellow developers, Frank Watson and Jerome Knowles, had proposed to service the marina component of their housing development "wreak havoc on the ecosystem."
The BNT said it was "watching with concern" the progress of the South Seas Development, which is taking place next door to the Bonefish National Park, in the Millar's Creek area.
Yesterday, Eric Carey of the Trust said that the BNT met with Mr. Wells along with representatives from the office of the prime minister, the Bahamas Environment Science and Technology (BEST) commission, the department of physical planning and the port department last Friday to discuss their concerns about the project.
"We have formally requested, in that meeting and prior...to be assured that an environmental impact assessment will be conducted to assess the impact of the developer's entrance canal, which is a mile long, ten feet deep and at least 150 feet wide," said Mr. Carey. The channel was being dug out in the Millar's Creek area, within 80 feet of Bonefish National Pond, and across a tidal flat. Tidal flats, according to Mr. Carey, are very important feeding grounds for numerous species of wildlife.
He said: "What we've asked the government to ascertain is that that channel would not have an unacceptably high level of negative impact on the nearby Bonefish National Pond national park." The park contains "pristine" and "intact" wetlands.
"We're really appreciative that government had a meeting and is listening to us...government agencies assured us that they would consider our request and would get back to us with recommendations," he added.

Has anybody heard anything recently about the South Seas Development?