The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) and Baha Mar are pleased to announce they have recently met and begun very positive discussions about their possible collaboration on the 71.4 acre Wildlife and Wetlands Sanctuary at the Baha Mar site.
A key point to be publicly clarified relates to the recent statements in the media about Baha Mar making a donation of one million dollars to the BNT. Regarding the reports of a specific donation to BNT, Robert Sands, Baha Mar's senior vice president for government and external affairs, stated in a press statement released yesterday that "Baha Mar has not given nor promised to give any funds to the BNT."
He continued, "Baha Mar has agreed to fund the infrastructure and enhancement of the sanctuary area with an initial grant of one million dollars, and once the wetland sanctuary is complete with boardwalks and interpretive signage an additional grant of one million dollars will be placed in a trust to support the ongoing maintenance and management of the area. The referenced trust will be determined once the improvements are completed."
Baha Mar acknowledges the vast institutional and individual knowledge and experience of the BNT in the protection, development and management of protected areas. The firm further acknowledges their collaboration on this project would be a great benefit to ensuring that viable wildlife habitat will be protected, while also allowing the public to enjoy the wildlife experience.
The Baha Mar team has visited Harrold and Wilson Ponds National Park and Bonefish Pond National Park on New Providence, wetland areas where the BNT has recently installed boardwalks, viewing platforms and interpretive signage. "We were very impressed with the infrastructure at these parks. What the BNT has done at these parks is very much what we have conceptually envisioned for the sanctuary area," said Brent Creary, architect at Baha Mar in the press statement.
Neil McKinney, BNT president said, "Baha Mar has put together an excellent team. We are impressed with their environmentally friendly development protocols and we do encourage them to continue to focus on taking all steps possible to be a green development and to minimize their carbon footprint."
Tom Dunlap, Baha Mar executive vice president for development and construction noted, "We are excited to meet with BNT to discuss how we can collaborate to plan the development of the sanctuary area in an environmentally sustainable manner. We are pleased that the Baha Mar team for the sanctuary will be led by our newly-appointed Director of Environmental Affairs, Gary Larson, who was executive director of the BNT for 20 years."
BNT executives Eric Carey and Lynn Gape noted that they look forward to developing a close working relationship with Baha Mar in planning the future of the 71.4 acre Wildlife and Wetland Sanctuary.
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