By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement chairman Dr Duane Sands said Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’ message against climate change is contradicted by his travel habits.

“Our prime minister is travelling the globe on a crusade to characterise The Bahamas as a victim of climate change,” he said in a voice note yesterday. “And I’ll agree that we are, but somehow the message just doesn’t seem to be resonating at home or abroad.

“This prime minister and his Cabinet have an appetite for luxurious travel. In the last year, I heard they charted more than a million dollars of private jets for travel.

“Private jets are one of the biggest producers of carbon, as much as 15 times the amount produced compared to commercial travel, and that does incredible damage to our environment. So, on one hand, you say we’re victims, but you’re using behaviours that are making the problem worse.”

Dr Sands said Mr Davis and his Cabinet have done nothing to stop the excessive use of heavy fuel oil, which contributes to more pollution of the sea and environment than any other type.

“Mr Davis, if you want the world to believe you’re serious about climate change, if you want Bahamians to believe that you’re serious, then you, your deputy prime minister, and your Cabinet, need to fly commercial and maybe just sort of cut back on travel, and then maybe we and the world will take you seriously,” he said.

He questioned whether the government had a plan to transform the energy sector.

“Where’s your plan,” he said, “to cut emissions at home with more action and less talk about renewables?”