THE Bahamas National Trust (BNT) has expressed strong opposition to the $985m Kakona Resort Development proposed for South Abaco, saying it poses a grave risk to the ecological balance and biodiversity of two critical protected areas: Abaco National Park and Cross Harbour.

In a statement, the BNT called the project an “existential threat” to these areas, warning of irreversible damage to native wildlife and decades of conservation efforts.

The proposed development by SALDCO Ltd includes plans for a 225-slip marina, 400 residential units, and a hotel with 90 keys, spread across three large sites in South Abaco. The BNT argues that the scale of the project would severely disrupt and alter essential habitats that the protected areas were established to safeguard. Abaco National Park, for example, is home to the Bahama Parrot — the northernmost population of this endangered bird — and provides critical feeding grounds for the species.

According to the BNT, the influx of human activity, noise, and waste associated with such a large development could attract invasive species, including feral cats and raccoons, which threaten the Bahama Parrot’s survival. The organisation highlighted that the parrot’s ground-nesting behaviour makes it especially vulnerable to predation.

Invasive species could undo decades of conservation work, potentially leading to the local extinction of the parrot. The park also supports other endangered bird species, including the Bahama Warbler, Bahama Swallow, and Bahama Yellowthroat, whose habitats were already fragmented by Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

The BNT said Cross Harbour, another protected area under threat, is a vital marine nursery supporting fish species such as snappers, groupers, and queen conch, which are essential to Bahamian fisheries. The BNT warned that the development’s construction, particularly the marina, would disrupt pre-spawning sites for bonefish, a cornerstone of the local sportfishing industry. In 2018, bonefishing was valued at $169 million annually to the Bahamian economy, making it a critical source of revenue for local communities.

The BNT also criticised the developer’s lack of meaningful consultation with their organisation and raised concerns about the public consultation process for the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The BNT claimed the process was inaccessible to many, requiring personal information from people before they could view the EIA, which the BNT says limits meaningful public participation.

Furthermore, the BNT stressed that despite the project’s proximity to Abaco National Park, the developer bypassed critical engagement with them, even though the project involves road construction through the park.

The resort development, which has been in the works for several years, was outlined in a 2022 Heads of Agreement. However, environmentalists, including the BNT, have continually raised alarms about the project’s potential to cause “severe adverse impacts” to marine and terrestrial environments. The BNT pointed out that while economic development is necessary, it must be balanced with environmental preservation, particularly in areas as ecologically sensitive as South Abaco.