09 / Feb / 2005  

New law will regulate land
use in the Bay Islands

In response to the need to conserve and protect the environment of the Bay Islands, the Executive Commission for Sustainable Tourism (CETS) has designed a set of regulations to control development on the islands. Its primary goal is to oversee land use and zoning to protect the fragile coral reef.

The regulations were made law on January 13th and will cover all future construction and development projects. From now on, all individuals and companies wishing to launch a development or tourism project in the Bay Islands will have to comply with all of the stipulation in the new regulations.

The new law clearly defines the different types of land present in the islands, including mangroves, beaches and protected zones. In all three of these areas construction and development such as hotels, resorts and residential complexes, is forbidden.

The CETS, which is presided by Tourism Minister Thierry de Pierrefeu, Hill begin informing Islanders about the new regulations over the next few months. Municipal authorities, the private sector, hotel owners and dive schools will be key targets in this informational campaign.

The general public will also be a key focus of the campaign, not only in terms of their awareness of the regulations and how best to implement them, but also for their valuable role as faithful enforcers of the regulations.

Under the new regulations, all industrial operations, including packing plants, shipyards and any other operation that could pollute the islands, must undergo an environmental evaluation by the Ministry of the Environment and must comply with all stipulations established therein. Strict regulations will also be implemented on the disposal of waste, all to prevent damage to island ecosystems.