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Activist Stuart Hayward has not given up in SDO fight

Tucker's Point Club and Hotel resort property. Photo by Glenn Tucker

Environmental activist Stuart Hayward said he was disappointed by the passage of the controversial Rosewood Tucker’s Point SDO.However, he said he has not given up, and will now focus on providing the Senate with information to make sure they can make an informed decision.“We were sure that when the Parliamentarians had all of the information they would see the value of the forest and the other environmental resources,” Mr Hayward said. “Unfortunately, that isn’t what happened.”The Special Development Order could allow the construction of 78 homes and 70 hotel rooms on Tucker’s Point land.Those in favour of the SDO have said that the development is necessary to keep the resort afloat, but critics, including the Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce (BEST) say the land has environmental and cultural significance.After hours of debate, the SDO was passed in the House of Assembly by a vote of 21 to ten, but Mr Hayward of BEST said that even several of the Government Ministers who supported the SDO said they didn’t have all the necessary information.“We still don’t know much about the business model that got Tuckers Point to where it is now, or what is going to change to make sure that it doesn’t end up in the same place,” Mr Hayward said.He also said that while the Government has said that it was concerned that the downfall of the Tuckers Point Resort could turn away potential investors, allowing Bermuda’s environment to be compromised could be equally damaging.“I think that one of the concerns the Government has is that if Tuckers Point goes under, if it goes into receivership that this will send the wrong kind of message for those who want to invest,” he said. “They should have equal concern that if they destroy the remaining open space that will be sending a message to the international environmental community and to those looking to visit the Island as tourists.“I think government may have been blindsided by that information by Tuckers Point about their financial situation, but there is a bigger picture that we need to look at.”He said that BEST would work to provide the public with more information about the proposed development, including organising a tour of the property to be held on Sunday in collaboration with Dr David Wingate and the St George’s Historical Society.“We are still in the early stages, but it is going to be a combined effort from several groups,” he said. “There should be more information about that coming out soon.”Useful websites: www.best.org.bm, www.tuckerspoint.com, www.gov.bm.

Tucker's Point Club and Hotel resort property. Photo by Glenn Tucker
Stuart Hayward