There was a big “hurrah” that echoed across our three islands at government’s announcement its Cabinet has finally approved the National Conservation Bill for passage in the Legislative Assembly (LA).

Wayne Panton, the Minister with responsibility for the Environment, said he hoped the law would be enacted by the end of the year. It has to be debated by the LA members first.

There is one big fly in the ointment.

The cruise berthing facilities in George Town!

Government have just reported that plans to develop cruise berthing facilities in George Town are moving forward but calls for an environmental impact assessment (EIA) study.

PricewaterhouseCoopers, in their strategic business case findings, said there were significant environmental risks attached to constructing the cruise berthing facility, including potential damage to coral and erosion of the Seven Mile Beach.

The main problems will be from dredging with an estimated 626,000 cubic meters of cutter suction dredging and blasting!

PwC says, “This would lead to potential sediment impacts elsewhere. There is concern over potential impacts on the Seven Mile Beach area to the north of the port. Waves and currents will be effected by the presence of large vessels resulting in the potential to impact elsewhere especially on the shore. The marine habitat is likely to be effected with the potential destruction of corals leading to a knock on effect for tourism operators in the harbour area. Dive sites are likely to destroyed or impacted by the construction of a berthing facility, leading to the potential increased use of sites further away and resultants pressures on those more pristine facilities.”

It is also located within a Marine Park Zone.

Incredibly, after nearly four years of the past government’s ill advised plans to actually go ahead with the Chinese constructing our berthing dock, no ERA had been executed. Or if it had it was never made public.

So, we have a Conservation Bill on the table most people want, a cruise ship berthing facility most people want, and a situation that can be likened to two magnets pointing at one another.