The Rt. Hon. Perry Gladstone Christie, Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
Cecil Wallace-Whitfield Centre, Cable Beach
P.O. Box N-3217
Nassau, N.P.
Bahamas

RE: Bimini Bay Resort threatens priceless mangrove ecosystem

Dear Prime Minister Christie,

I am very disturbed to learn that instead of protecting the Bimini islands’ valuable mangrove ecosystem, the Bahamian government has authorized construction of the Bimini Bay Resort, which is already damaging mangrove and marine resources during Phase I of its construction.

For the benefit and security of your nation and its wonderful national heritage, I very strongly urge you to halt construction at Phase I and immediately implement the Bimini Marine Protected Area.

As the world learned at great cost during last December’s tsunami in South and South East Asia, it is critical to protect mangrove ecosystems which, in turn, protect the human population from major storms. Bimini’s mangrove lagoons and seagrass beds are among the most productive marine ecosystems. They provide nursery and feeding grounds for many coral reef fishes and commercially important fish, as well as nesting areas for loggerhead turtles and the endangered hawksbill yurtle. Renowned for big game fishing and diving, Bimini is one of the world’s best places to see wild bottlenose dolphins and Atlantic spotted dolphins. Also, if the Bimini Bay Resort and Casino project is completed, critical lemon shark habitat will be destroyed and scientists will lose one of the world’s best places to study shark behavior and life cycles. The livelihoods of your people and the future of your tourism industry depend on conservation of the mangrove ecosystem.

As a tourist, I select destinations where natural resources are protected, and I would never patronize a country or a resort that destroys valuable mangrove ecosystems.

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