Published: Monday June 25th, 2007

Mr. Neil Mckinney, Mr. Glenn Bannister, Dr Livingstone Marshall,Mrs. Beverly Taylor and Mr. Eric Carey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nassau, Bahamas. June 25, 2007…. The Bahamas National Trust’s (BNT) ability to achieve its mission was significantly enhanced on Monday when Discovery Land Company (DLC), developers of The Baker’s Bay Golf and Ocean Club at Great Guana Cay, Abaco, announced a pledge of $1.2 million to the organization.

“The Trust is very grateful for this generous grant by Discovery Land Company and the Baker’s Bay Golf and Ocean Club which will support the mission of the organization, and more specifically assist in providing management and infrastructure for national parks throughout our country,” said Mr. Eric Carey, Executive Director of the BNT.

Eric Carey added that The Bahamas National Trust visited the development earlier this year and were impressed with the development’s efforts in following best environmental management practices and especially the goals and objectives of the project’s environmental impact assessment and environmental management plans.

“We saw firsthand the company’s daily monitoring of the project by its in-house environmental management team and observed the very careful approach taken to preserve thousands of indigenous plants and animal habitats. In particular, we are very pleased with the results of the company’s successful turtle monitoring program and the many development related environmental educational opportunities that exist within the project. Baker’s Bay has also discussed with us its plans for other aspects of the project including the construction of the golf course and a Blue Flag Marina and we are satisfied that these aspects of the project will be carried out in the most environmentally friendly manner possible. Given the development’s serious focus on environmentally responsible development, we think that Baker’s Bay will help to set the standard for sensitive and sustainable development in The Bahamas and maybe even the region,” Mr. Carey said.

Glenn Bannister, President of The BNT also expressed gratitude for DLC’s pledge.

“This is a very significant contribution to the enormous task before us. We acknowledge that the development at Baker’s Bay will have an impact on the natural environment,” Mr. Bannister said, “however the developers have demonstrated a commitment to very high environmental standards. They have an aggressive environmental management plan that has already effected the removal of most of the invasive species on the cay, and a full restoration of the affected habitats. Furthermore, they have exceeded many of the conditions set by the Bahamas Environment Science and Technology Commission (BEST) and appear very open to novel approaches that respect and protect the environment.”

The Bahamas National Trust was established by an Act of Parliament in 1959. It is a non-governmental, self-funded, non-profit organization, mandated with the development and management of the National Park System of The Bahamas.The BNT manages five national parks in the Abacos: The Abaco National Park, Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park, Walker’s Cay National Park, Tilloo Cay and Black Sound Cay Reserve.

The pledge to BNT will begin immediately with a $200K award per year in each of the first three years. In general, the funds will be used to assist with on the ground management of national parks across the country with emphasis on projects around Great Guana Cay and The Abacos, for joint educational initiatives with the Abaco based Friends of the Environment, and capacity building for the BNT. Thereafter, the second three year grant will be awarded contingent on the successful achievement of the above outlined general milestones and overall performance of the organization in carrying out the organization’s mission.

BNT’s Deputy Executive Director, Lynn Gape explained “This grant will greatly assist us in expanding our existing education and outreach programs for the island of Abaco and we are delighted that we will be able to provide significant support to assist our on the ground partners in Abaco, Friends of the Environment. In discussions with Baker’s Bay they indicated tremendous interest in our signature young people’s program Discovery Club and we will be working with Friends of the Environment to initiate Discovery Club Programs for Abaco.”

Both the Abaco National Park at the southern end of Abaco and Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park are natural areas which offer tremendous opportunities for nature tourism. The Abaco National Park created in 1994 protects the southern breeding habitat of the endangered Bahama Parrot and 20,500 acres of pine forest. The park is also home to a number of West Indian specialty birds: Loggerhead Kingbirds, Bahama Woodstars, Bahama Yellowthroats, Olive –capped Warblers and Cuban Emerald Hummingbirds. Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park is a 2,100 acre land and sea park with extensive coral reefs, undersea caves and amazing marine life.

The Trust has recently done extensive outreach in the Abaco Community in order to complete management plans for both of these parks. According to Ms. Tamica Rahming, Director of Parks for the BNT, “This grant from the Discovery Land Company will assist us in implementing our plan. The residents of Abaco have provided us with excellent suggestions for what they would like to see happen in these parks and this support will greatly assist us in making their vision come true.”

The Trust is dependent upon such partnerships to manage the 25 national parks throughout the country, covering 700,000 acres of land and sea. The Bahamas National Trust has been building a national park system for over 45 years to achieve important conservation and development goals for Bahamians.

“Baker’s Bay is committed to the maintaining the highest environmental performance in and around the Great Guana Cay property but is keenly aware that such efforts represent only a small portion of what is really needed to bring about meaningful and long-term environmental stewardship in the country,” said Dr. Livingston Marshall, Sr. Vice President of Environmental and Community Affairs for Baker’s Bay. “Given the scope of the requirements of national environmental stewardship, it makes sense to partner with and support the mission of The Bahamas National Trust with its mandate for development and management of national park systems in The Bahamas. Baker’s Bay is also very aware of the important work being done by the BNT in the area of environmental education and believes that it is vital to support the organization’s continued efforts in this area. We hope that that other corporate entities and especially our fellow Bahamians will see the importance of the BNT efforts and find it fitting to support the organization’s mission as well,” he said.

Baker’s Bay Golf and Ocean Club, located on the northern end of Great Guana Cay in the Abacos will comprise an exquisite residential community of 585 stunning beachfront and ocean view acres, 175 custom home sites and183 high-end single-family developer residences. The development will also include a villa-style hotel, private golf club, 18-hole Tom Fazio-designed private golf course and a 33-acre marina village with a 158-slip “Blue Flag” marina.

Discovery Land Company, the developers of Baker’s Bay Golf and Ocean Club, Guana Cay, Abaco is a Scottsdale, Arizona based real estate development firm specializing in the creation of world-class golf and residential communities.

25.06.07

P.O. Box N4105
The Retreat Gardens
Village Road

Nassau, Bahamas

 

Date: July 2, 2007

Dear Mr. Bannister,

Details of a recent offer by the developers at Baker's Bay Club to "gift" the Bahamas National Trust US $1.2 million is both shocking and disgusting, for this "gift" surely comes with strings attached!

I believe that the very integrity and good reputation of the Bahamas National Trust is being compromised by this so-called six-year "donation" from the Baker's Bay Club. The Club did not give this gift out of good will, love for the environment or for the people of the Bahamas. Rather, the Baker's Bay Club is offering this donation, at the very least, to improve their public image.  At the very worst, the donation will be used as a carrot, dangled to lead Bahamians from the devastation and outrage being caused by this unacceptable mega-development.

Worldwide, environmentalists and island communities are speaking out against this development. Eminent marine biologists and conservationists denounce this mega-development for the many ways it will harm crucial reef, mangrove and terrestrial environments.  By accepting this "gift" from the developers, BNT is selling the heritage of future Bahamians far short.

Guana Cay's environment is unique in this world, and its elkhorn and staghorn coral structure is considered one of the best and last of its type in the world.  National treasures like Guana Cay need to be protected, and ensuring this island is safeguarded is one of BNT's stewardship responsibilities.  Guana Cay's marine environment has supported a sustainable fishing community for generations, its beauty draws international tourism not only to Guana Cay's small cottage tourism center, but its reef helps fill up hotels and homes in places like Treasure Cay, Hopetown and Green Turtle Cay.

 Beyond the vital economic importance of Guana Cay's unique and fragile environment, is the overriding international importance of saving these unique environments before it is too late; before these natural treasures are gone forever.

Via its planned contribution to BNT of $200,000 per year for six years, Baker’s Bay Club has come up with an ingenious way to ensure they can dangle money in front of an under-funded agency with the hope of influencing policy.  Money is being channeled by calculating marketers precisely to change opinions in the Bahamas, even while outside of the Bahamas, opposition to the project is unanimous among professionals concerned about the effects such a development will have.

Baker’s Bay Club has lost the scientific battle over whether their development is good or bad for the environment.  An international scientific consensus strongly condemns the large, dangerous footprint of this mega-development.  I urge the BNT to take sides on this issue, which is so important to the Bahamas’ future. It is best to seriously consider abandoning this illegal and dangerous development, and instead establish a national marine and terrestrial park in this same contested area. The economic and environmental benefits will resound for generations, and the positive press will help reverse the negative press Bakers Bay has brought to this proud country.