The Barbados Free Press in one of its posts questioned the position and policy of the Democratic Labour Party on the Graeme Hall National Park. We wish to share with our readers our comments on this issue which was posted on barbados free press under the title, Gardin’ Barbados Democracy Asks “Why Doesn’t The DLP Support Graeme Hall National Park
DLPBARBADOS responded twice in order to bring greater clarity to this issue.
Dear BFP
The Issue of Graeme Hall has been spoken to by several members of the Democratic Labour Party. As recent as the 17th of June Mr. Stephen Lashley gave quite a lenghty presentation on the Grame Hall Issue. A week before that Mr. Ronald Jones speaking in Parliament was able to elicit from the Minister of the Environment that Graeme Hall was declared a Ramsat site and therefore falls under the convention which governs such site.
The DLP has not been silent on this matter. To suggest to the contrary is to create an issue for the DLP. The Graeme Hall site must be protected and should not be opened to major man made projects.
The Government is the one whose feet should be held to the fire for their silence and inaction. The Democratic Labour Party supports green spaces in Barbados, the protection of wetlands, open windows to the sea, the safeguarding of our gullies and protection of our last remaining indigenous forests. This is the beginning of the process of fashioning a holistic policy on the environment. Everything cannot be achieved in a day. Furthermore the Leader of the DLP has placed confidence in the persons who speak to these issues as they affect our people and the environment.
Dear BFP and others.
We find it interesting that the DLP is being called upon to state its position on many issues even before the people of Barbados gives it an opportunity to govern.
The DLP surely cannot at this stage speak emphatically on every issue which BFP or the other commentators throw up. Our policy pronouncements have to be based on sound research and good judgment.
The DLP is not insensitive to the issue of declaring the Graeme Hall Wetlands as a national park and therefore protected by legislation. We recognise the uniqueness of the Graeme Hall area and is opposed to any part of it being turned into a water park or used for any type of commercial development. The fragility of the Graeme Hall ecosystem must not be disturbed by callous development.
According to you BFP, Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary was declared a RAMSAR site. To the best of our information the entire 33 hectares are listed in the RAMSAR data base. Approximately 13 or so hectares are owned by the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary. Government owns about 19 hectares of the land and this must not past into private hands for exploitation and thus depriving future generations of the naturalness of that area.
This information would suggest that the total area is in fact listed and designated a RAMSAR site.
This information therefore throws up the terrible anomaly of a private developer seeking to establish a commercial venture within or proximate to this area. Any agency of government that gives permission for this venture would be flying in the face of the Ministry of the Environment, another governmental agency and its having Graeme Hall listed as a RAMSAR site.
The DLP wishes to restate that under a DLP government, Graeme Hall will not be used for commercial development, but will be part of a protected zone which will cover areas such as the Graeme Hall National Preserve and other areas of environmental significance.
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Please go the links listed below and you can have information on the RAMSAR sites of the world as well as Barbados’ listing and a thorough description of the Graeme Hall ecosystem.
http://www.ramsar.org/key_cp_e.htm
2 Comments
November 8, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I hope that they keep up with their promise, it is in my belief that it should be preserved for generations to come
July 29, 2009 at 7:41 am
I agree, tricia. And a bit “off topic”, but still with Graeme Hall in mind, I watched the P.M.’s Press Conference last night (Tuesday, July 28) and I say, well done, Thompy.
What made me think of Graeme Hall (he only vaguely mentioned it) was the thought that even as Mr. Thompson was greeting his media guests at Ilaro Court, the (M)allard duck (akaBFP) must have been jumping up and down, squawking “Liar! Liar! Despotic liar!” Watch for the next episode of BFP, folks.