The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) yesterday said Resorts World’s Bimini cruise ship terminal plan would “cause irreparable and continuing damage to the marine environment” if approved in its current form.

The BNT, expressing “grave concern” that construction had begun on the offshore jetty, said the Government had not confirmed whether it had reviewed the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) supplied by Resorts World.

The developer has supplied a copy of the EIA to the BNT, along with the appendices and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) in response to a further request.

Expressing concern that there had been no public consultation on the EIA, and that the document had not been published for review by the Bahamian public, the BNT added that it could not support the current cruise ship proposal.

“It is the view of the BNT that the proposed location for the jetty, artificial island and extensive dredging for this development, in close proximity to so many key dive sites, is incompatible with sound environmental policy and practice and, if approved, will likely cause irreparable and continuing damage to the marine environment of Bimini,” the BNT said in a statement.

“The proposal to locate the artificial island atop a portion of a live reef is especially troublesome. It is also noted that the ship’s turning action and reversing into its berth, as envisioned in the EIA, will continue to push sand from the sea floor on to the sensitive live coral reef on each occasion that the ship calls on Bimini.

Acknowledging the importance of Resorts World’s Bimini investment in generating hundreds of Bahamian jobs and economic growth, the BNT said it was seeking a meeting with government agencies, including the Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology (BEST) Commission, to discuss its findings and offer alternatives to lessen the impact on the marine environment.