Agreed!

Our tourism industry? WTF? What about the rapid acceleration of sea level rise, what about our food sources, what about our health, what about a planet where much of it is too hot to live and work outdoors? We can't just listen to the guardians. We must become informed ourselves. Especially people in positions who write editorials.
No dear Editor, this editorial position is a failure of knowledge, of morality, of responsible citizenship. The facts, coming in daily are that we, as a species, as movers in the web of life, have failed to consider our future. It seems as if we just don't give a shit. We are willing to gamble it away for a few dollars. Dollars that will become more elusive as the days go by, and those alive today will never see a penny of it. This editorial is unacceptable to anyone who thinks. The Bahamas has more than enough people who could guide your thinking on this matter. This is one of the worst editorials of the year and I would like to nominate it as such.

"The Gamblers Dilemma". Perhaps this says it all, dear Editor.
I have little objection if you can afford to gamble, and find it entertaining to do so.
However, when you choose to gamble your children's lunch money, rent and BPL payment, hoping to hit it big, we have a problem, which is not a rarity in this country, is it? Further, when you feel you have the right to gamble away the health of a country and my child's future, we have another matter at hand. This is what you are suggesting. And, what I am suggesting is that you have absolutely no right to do so, and it seems rather apparent that a simpleton's viewpoint such as this has no place in an editorial position in a leading newspaper. Unfortunately, you have exposed the limitations of your intellect and moral code. To a well read and up to date science reader, this is Russian Roulette with 5 bullets in the chamber of a six shooter. To many unfortunates now, and it seems you are one of them, you still think there is only one bullet in the chamber. This science is completely clear on this matter of fossil fuels. An intelligent person, and a forward thinking nation, MUST be in favor of making the transition away from fossil fuels now. The data is in, whether or not you have the time, resources, or intelligence to grasp it. Editor, with your short article here, questioning whether oil is good for The Bahamas, you have shown in no uncertain terms the limitations we are facing as a world. There is a severe disconnect between reality and our ability to see it, to grasp it.. I used to think it was just a matter of education. But, you probably had a "good" education yourself. I am absolutely convinced now that the powers that be have no interest in an educated populace. Therefore, there are no surprises as our IQ and academic quality drops year after year. All the while our Minister of Education, whoever they are, continue to spout off more and more nonsense, while test scores continue to drop, or we lower the bar to appease our faux-concerned. Editor, you end by saying, "So do we risk it all? Or stick with what we’ve got. Whatever the next step is, we would hope that we listen to those guardians who have watched over our lands and seas these many years. If we are to do this, we must take every precaution – for if we are slack, and find black oil washing up on our shores, our tourism industry will suffer all over again."

Thanks for that tribanon

Columbus Pillow. You are not reading the science. Throw your TV away. You are deluded by the billionaires media. The science is very clear as to what is happening. Not just climate change, but even more importantly, health concerns and other environmental concerns..The debate is over among educated people. Watching TV is not education, it is brainwashing. You are obviously a paid shill for this ill fated oil drilling scam.
The only thing exaggerated here is your honesty and knowledge base.

So, the health professionals are stupid?

"We're playing high stakes Russian roulette right now, as is every country. We need people to come back here, and if they don't we're in deep trouble. Bahamians just don't seem to get it."

"We come back out of lockdown after two, three or four weeks and the numbers come down, but foolish people are foolish people."

Just what, are these guys saying here?

Thank you BNT.
However, I disagree with the statement. “If, as the Minister of Environment (Romauld Ferreira) states, The Bahamas’ hands are legally tied and that this first well must proceed, the BNT urges extreme caution." Courts regularly revisit cases when new evidence is presented. Are our hands tied in allowing cigarettes to be sold to minors? Same thing. Times changed and now we know better. We need to quit voting in and hiring people who are compromised, or unable to intellectually grasp the consequences of their words and actions.
Sometimes, circumstances change. We now know, as stated in this article that drilling threatens our fisheries, our economy, our very existence as a country. No, The Bahamas hands are not tied. This is merely an excuse that should have Romauld fired and replaced with someone with a backbone. Someone able to stand up for justice and tell the Prime Minister to quit being a "science" hypocrite. We are too intellectually and morally slack in this country. It really is beyond belief.

Please read the following again. This should be grasped by any well-educated 5th grader.

“The Bahamas is known to be one of the most vulnerable nations on the planet to the impending impacts of climate change. It is now recognized as an existential threat to The Bahamas. The country, its people and their way of life could disappear if it is not successful as a global community in reversing the factors of a changing climate. Climate-charged Hurricane Dorian and the recent unprecedented number of concurrent named tropical storms and systems are clear indicators of climatic change.

“It is patently clear that The Bahamas’ livelihood and survival depends not only on minimizing but reversing the impacts of climate change. Consequently, policies and regulations must reflect the global and national efforts to combat the impact of climate change.

So, the realization that our entire country's existence is threatened by the burning of fossil fuels would have no bearing on a court of law? No wonder our country is in such dire condition.

"It is difficult to get someone to understand something, when their salary depends upon them not understanding it."
Hello Ms. Quant.

Hi Columbus oil pillow. Stop talking crap.