The latest report in the Bahama Journal (July 24th 2003) regarding the expansion of the water based attractions at Atlantis by Minister Alyson Maynard Gibson further demonstrates again this governments lack of concern dealings with regards to environmental matters.
Whether or not proper legislation for the existing facilities is brought to Parliament is not the issue here. Environmental and animal welfare groups are in complete opposition to the expansion of the dolphin exploitation and slavery business period. The legislation was meant to protect dolphins in the wild and regulate the current facilities. This has absolutely nothing to do with allowing further facilities to open.
Mrs. Gibson stated that “reasonable protocols and requirements of the relevant government agencies, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Local Government, the Ministry of Health and the BEST Commission, and give proper consideration to the concerns of the Bahamas National Trust, particularly with respect to the establishment of a dolphin swim attraction.”ﾠ
It is not at all surprising that the National Trust has been brought into the flock as they have no particular issue with dolphins in captivity,ﾠ that is primarily why they are being used to consult with the government. There is no balance here. Using an organization that has no knowledge of the issue and worse believes that it is perfectly acceptable to exploit animals is simply not acceptable. It is shameful that an organization that is bound by law to protect our environment is a party to this.ﾠ
Mrs Gibson said ﾑduring prior government consultation with animal rights activists, the groups apprised the government that “circumstances had changed considerably” since the earlier legislation was drafted. The day before the Atlantis Phase III story broke, Mrs. Gibson called me (Sam Duncombe) to discuss a number of environmental concerns, Atlantisﾒ desire to have a dolphin facility was one of them. My immediate response to her was absolutely not! I went into the process we had been through with the previous administration and that significant steps had been made to ensure that there were no further facilities opened in The Bahamas. It was absolutely clear that captivity was the issue. Since the “final draft” of both pieces of legislation had been changed considerably the animal welfare groups were not happy with those documents going forward for approval in Parliament without being aware of what the changes were. That was not consultation if you call a 10 minute phone call a consultation on issues that people have worked for six years on – then we are in big trouble.
