By Gemma Handy
Thriving native species, a significant increase in marine life, and artificial sand dunes that are helping protect Barbuda from storms.
Those were some of the claims made during a side event at the SIDS conference that showcased the environmental benefits of the controversial PLH project.
But how much of that reflects reality – and how much was an attempt at greenwashing? That appears to depend on who you ask.
The event hosted by Deborah Brosnan & Associates, which carried out the development’s environmental impact assessments, brought together scientists, industry experts, NGOs and local government leaders. The fourth edition of the UN’s small island developing states conference, hosted by Antigua and Barbuda for the first time, took place from May 27-30 at the American University of Antigua.
“Nature-based solutions” formed the crux of Wednesday’s session. Environmental consultant Brosnan said leveraging nature’s potential was critical to protecting Barbuda’s ecosystems.
She said artificial dunes – something she has been pioneering for more than 20 years – were already safeguarding the isle’s coastline as they had in other parts of the region, such as St Barts.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne told the audience about the devastation wreaked on Barbuda by Hurricane Irma in 2017. He said since the PLH team installed 14ft dunes at Palmetto Point, there had been “absolutely no damage from storms or flooding”.
He said measures undertaken by developers, such as the creation of artificial coral reefs, had seen “native species thriving and marine life increase significantly”.
“This is not just a theoretical concept; it’s happening in reality,” he said.
Browne continued that while he recognised any development would have some impact on the environment, the government would ensure there was no “irreversible damage”.
He said a recently installed solar plant came amid plans to transform Barbuda into the world’s first island to be powered exclusively by green energy, an assertion that earned him applause.
“Climate change is the most significant threat facing all of humanity. We all have to be responsible stewards of the environment to preserve and protect our planet for future generations,” he added.
The mood was later tempered by one representative from an international NGO who politely suggested that no one should attempt to recreate “Miami or Las Vegas” on a small island.
“If people want Vegas, they should go to Vegas,” he said.
Neither did the presence of some of Barbuda’s most ardent environmentalists go unnoticed.
John Mussington and Jackie Frank – who have been outspoken against the development and took a legal fight against the construction of Barbuda’s international airport as far as the Privy Council – were in the audience as part of an NGO delegation.
There were some raised eyebrows and a little awkward laughter when PM Browne ended his speech by saying, “I observe that we may have one or two detractors of my government in the room. But just in case they make any claim that we are not environmentally responsible, I assure all of our guests that is a fallacy.”
The event was entitled ‘How investing in SIDS can create economic, environment and community benefits, a model from Antigua and Barbuda’.
Those hoping for a glimpse of PLH’s main investor Jean-Paul Dejoria – who was listed to attend – were left disappointed when he failed to show due to an apparent medical issue.
After the session ended, Frank told Observer she felt the discussion had been “very well scripted”.
She said the floor had been open for questions from the audience at every other SIDS event she had attended.
“That didn’t happen here. It was very heavily controlled and I think that was to stop awkward questions and awkward comments being made,” Frank said.
She also took umbrage with the PM’s “detractors” comment.
“Detractors? No, we were just there to speak up for our island but we weren’t given the opportunity.
“One of the things he said was that there haven’t been any floods because of what PLH have done. But there have been floods precisely because of what they’ve done,” she claimed.
Frank said the road leading to the PLH development had been “turned into a river” during heavy rain due to the apparent removal of coastal vegetation.
“That vegetation saved us on the night of Irma and stopped water coming all the way into the village. During the rain we had in November, the water was all the way up in the village,” she added.
Members of the country’s Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) were also among those present at Wednesday’s PLH discussion.
The body’s Shanna Challenger welcomed remarks on the need for more public sector financing to fight climate change.
But she lamented the dearth of specific data to back up the claims about the positive impact on Barbuda’s native wildlife.
“We believe in statements supported by science,” she told Observer. “I didn’t hear any specific species being mentioned. It was more of a, ‘we have seen an increase in biodiversity’, full stop.
“It would have been good to hear an exact measure of what they’ve been able to see.
“Something else that was not mentioned was the Barbuda warbler, and that is the only endemic bird of Antigua and Barbuda.”
