Your letters to the Minister
Here are some letters that have already been written and sent to the Minister of the Environment:Â
Dear Minister,
As a Bermudian I feel the development of any area of open space in Bermuda would be disastrous for our current population and devastating to the future of our island home. For example the purposed development at Southlands will scar what little precious open space the island still has. Require that builders and hoteliers come from overseas to man the development and therefore put even greater stress on the island’s delicate infrastucture. And more than anything destroy the primary reason why people travel to Bermuda by damaging the beautiful landscape. This is your time! Your are in the position to stand up for all of us. You are the one who can make a difference for all of our children and our children’s children. I am not a poet, nor good with words. Where I lack, I give you the words of others.
There is a sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed. ~Mohandas K. Gandhi
We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. ~Native American Proverb
Don’t blow it - good planets are hard to find. ~Quoted in Time
Have a Bermudaful day! Sincerely ,
Meredith Andrews
___________________________
Dear Ms. Butterfield,
Rumors are rampart that you are going to announce a decision to grant an SDO for the proposed Southlands development. I have personally studied this issue in great detail and strongly believe such a decision would be an enormous mistake for Bermuda.
I believe in the need to revitalize Tourism, particularly air tourism, but believe there are many dimensions to this challenge, only one of which is the need for additional hotel capacity with modern amenities.
An SDO was recently granted for a nine story hotel on the neighboring Golden Hind site, agreement has been reached for the Eden Group to develop the former Lantana property, agreement has been reached for other previously announced hotel expansions, an SDO was recently granted for the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Hamilton and the Tucker’s Point Club hotel is well along to completion. We hear rumors of yet another developer ready to build a new hotel on the former Club Med site in St. George’s ( after so many false starts, I will believe this when I see construction commencing). I do not believe we can absorb all of this capacity without other issues being addressed.
We would be losing almost 40 acres of precious open space which is disappearing rapidly given the level of ongoing development in Bermuda in the absence of an updated master plan for development which is 2-3 years overdue. We should focus our efforts on the development of ‘brownfield†sites rather so called “green field†sites.
This development would also be adding to our infrastructure burdens with more guest workers to build the complex and to be employed by the new hotel. When the dust settles, for this hotel to be financially viabl, it will mainly be populated by guest workers, not Bermudians despite Mr. Christensen’s stated objective of hiring and training Bermudians.
Your own Government experts have advised against this decision on environmental reasons. An objective Environmental Impact assessment has not been done and I don’t see how this decision could be made without that critical step having first been undertaken. The fact that Mr. Christensen has said that his group has done an environmental study is hardly comforting as he has a vested interest in the outcome of this decision.
In summary, I strongly believe a decision to grant an SDO for Southlands is not in the best interest of Bermuda considering all the factors I have listed. A decision of this magnitude should not be made before an objective Environmental Impact study is made and a master plan for Tourism is developed so that it becomes more clear how all these potential resorts fit within that plan. I trust you will not be pressured by Premier Dr. Brown into a decision that is difficult to reverse once construction commences. Many thanks for considering my concerns.
Sincerely,
Alan R. Titus
__________________________
Dear Hon. Ms. Butterfield,
I am dismayed to hear about an SDO being granted for the Southlands development.
I read that many experts within the government found fault with the plans on many planning and environmental fronts. I believe these professionals are being ignored
to furthur the agenda of Premier Brown and I am disappointed that you, the Environmental Minister, would not pay more heed to the opinions of your staff. As well, the petition that was signed by over 3000 Bermudians made for some enlightening reading as people expressed the reasons they were against this proposal. When I read the comments I realized that most of these people were not radical environmentalists but rather pragmatic visionaries whose opinions should be heard.
This development is more a real estate venture, designed to enrich a few people, while devastating one of the last remaining tracts of virgin forest. But even putting aside
the environmental issues, don’t you think that before all these SDO’s are speedily granted for all kinds of hotel developments that some bigger picture planning should
first be done.
The increased foreign workers, construction workers, cars, demand for resources puts a strain on our infrastucture. How much planning has gone into considering what the future Bermuda should look like? Is more always better?
Extremely disappointed.
Claire A Smith
Warwick
_______________________________
Dear Ms. Butterfield,
Your decision to issue an SDO for the Southlands property is a very scary one. It flies in the face of the wisdom of people who understand what the impact of more building along the South Shore would mean to all of us. The thought that Bermudians would be expected to use a tunnel under the South Shore is incomprehensible. The impact of an enormous structure taking the place of one of our last green spaces would be a tragedy. In simple words: NOT A GOOD IDEA!!
Please don’t do this!!
Cornelia Young
Flat Rock
12 Long Point Lane
Sandys MA 5
Bermuda
__________________________
Dear Premier Ewart Brown/Neletha Butterfield:
I am writing to confirm my absolute dissatisfaction as a born Bermudian to allow any hotel to be built on this property of Southlands since this is the last piece of
beautiful property that should be kept for generations to come in Bermuda.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely
Mrs. Jody O’Neill
Mr. Charles O’Neill
Mr. Peter O’Neill