Absolutely excellent letter. Thanks for writing it. Spot on and thanks for doing the research.

Does calling me porky pie substitute for your lack of understanding about what is causing our abrupt climate? On your way to genius? Or, do you really give a damn about the continued existence of The Bahamas. I don't get paid to fight for my cause. Do you?

"Saying that he nevertheless "understood" environmental concerns over BPC's plans, the ex-Central Bank governor and finance minister also questioned why the threatened Judicial Review and injunction bid had singled out the explorer rather than all oil-related activities in The Bahamas"
One step at a time, Mr. Smith. That's how things work.
You cannot "understand" environmental concerns because you have spent your adult life focused on one thing. Right? No matter how well intentioned, the money masters are, they will never be able to appreciate the importance of our down home natural resources. Money buys everything. When you are a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

Shawn, thanks for speaking the truth to power. Your island roots have given you the backbone to see what's real. It takes courage to speak out, sometimes against the "business" community at large. More of us need to have the balls to stand up and speak for justice and environmentally sensible projects that allow Bahamians to watch their country grow and thrive. Our voices would be even stronger if our own government did not often stand in the way of these issues. Certainly we need more environmentally conscious and educated ministers as our representatives. Once again, thanks for speaking up.

Mr Smith, meanwhile, said it was "somewhat curious" that environmental activists were not complaining about what he argued was the greater risk of an oil spill occurring from the multiple tankers passing through Bahamian waters daily." How do you know we're not? The end of fossil fuels is coming. Stopping this exploratory well is something both tangible and timely. It is merely a first step. Nobody takes on everything at once. you do it in stages. So, nothing like the lack of logic used by Mr. Smith. The tides are rising faster and faster. This isn't alarmist talk. It is scientific reality. With a little intelligence, education, humility, and sacrifice we may, just may, be able to leave a few more generations of Bahamians with the same abundance of real honest true natural resources. The worship of money has left its mark on many in the ruling class everywhere.

A Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC) director yesterday slammed "preposterous" environmental activists for seeking to block this nation from discovering whether it has natural resources to exploit." says Mr. James Smith.
You are missing the point Mr. Smith! This is not about going against The Bahamas "exploiting its natural resources. This is about not exploiting the Bahamian people, and wanting to see The Bahamas exist for another generation, or two. Mr. Smith, come out of your money bubble. The science has all been pointing to the frying of the planet due to the burning of fossil fuels. This fight we "environmentalists" have is not about stopping progress, it is about making sure progress is possible. We want to see The Bahamas continue to exist and to prosper. You have missed the boat, Mr. Smith. That is a problem with allowing businessmen to try and run a government. They think they can eat money. Not to be disrespectful Mr. Smith, but when was the last time you learned about the plight of coral reefs, and their importance to all marine life? How many days a week do you spend on the water, in a garden, or fishing? I appreciate that you are an expert on money, but in the end, and probably sooner than we think, we will find out that we can't eat money. You will be off in some foreign country with your millions, while the vast majority of Bahamians will be left here to fight over the scarcity of nearly everything.

Mr Smith said: "It would be preposterous for any group to sue the Government, private or otherwise, for pursuing a policy of trying to determine if we have natural resources and the extent of it."
No sir. Not preposterous.The world's foremost scientists have said we must keep the remaining oil in the ground to avoid environmental catastrophe and the collapse of civilization. They have said this for many years now. Exxon's own scientists, as early as the 1970's came to the same conclusion as the overwhelming scientific consensus today. The burning of fossil fuels is heating up our planet, among hundreds of other things threatening life on this planet.
What are you arguing for Mr. Smith? What are simply not getting?
"It is difficult for a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it" Upton Sinclair.

I am beginning to understand why so few crimes are solved and why the country is in the state that it is in.

Since you're so good with facts, why don't you cite the number of scientists who say in no uncertain terms that continued burning of fossil fuels is threatening life on this planet. You won't because you don't give a shit about this. You can't, it seems. And, it is clear you don't give a shit about the Bahamas. Get lost and go chase your next get-rich scheme.

Bahama7, sounds like a threat.
Be very careful. Clearly you are a paid troll, or just ignorant.