Shadow Environment Minister Cole Simons has rightly raised warning flags over the increase in the number of planning violations which are occurring in the community.

In just the last few weeks, the community has seen a continuing fight over illegal clearing at Ferry Reach and at Gilbert's Bay in Sandys Parish.

And last week another Sandys Parish resident was turned down for retroactive planning approval for a horse stable.

Permanent Secretary for the Environment Brian Rowlinson has acknowledged that there has been an increase in the last six months in the number of illegal developments for which owners have then sought retroactive approval.

And he has also admitted that there not enough enforcement officers in the Ministry to police illegal developments and to enforce the laws.

In addition, even when people do get caught, the penalties for illegal construction and clearing are outdated and low, meaning they have little deterrent value.

Indeed, there is a growing tendency of "build first and apply later", on the assumption that the Development Applications Board will approve a development once it is completed because it would be too much trouble to have a building torn down or to have a site returned to its natural state, assuming that that is even feasible.

Some developers will argue that the planning process is too drawn out and ponderous, but if that's the case, then they should push the Government to streamline the process rather than blatantly disregard the law.

Instead, as Auditor General Larry Dennis has pointed out, Bermuda is becoming a society where wilfully disobedience of the law ? whether it is for parking tickets, payroll tax or planning requirements ? is becoming the norm.

Laws are useless if they are not enforced. When they are not, the dishonest get away with murder and the honest are punished, until they have had enough and start ignoring the law as well.

In planning, this is a problem that will get worse unless something is done.

Pressure on open space is already extreme and will only get worse while the profits to be made are enormous. That makes it possible for all kinds of poor decisions to be made and then justified on the basis that "it is for housing".

That's not good enough. Maintaining the balance between open space and development Bermuda is not a passing fancy of environmentalists, but a national imperative which is essential if Bermuda is to retain any kind of quality of life.

Even with more enforcement officers and even if the laws are enforced, it may not be possible for all breaches of planning laws to be discovered.

That is why residents, like those at Ferry Reach, must do their part and report breaches of the planning laws to the Government, and yes, to the media.

The alternative is environmental anarchy.