“The stone that the builder refused shall become the chief cornerstone.”

This powerful message of transformation and resilience is more than a biblical reference; it tells the journey of the 1987 Harvard Pembroke Marsh Plan, from its auspicious beginnings with full approval of Cabinet and the Department of Planning in 1989 to its present state of stagnation — a living reflection of the inertia that pervades Bermuda’s diminished capacity for major enhancements to our infrastructure and quality of life.

With so many environmental challenges facing Constituency 17, including soot pollution from Belco and flooding from Mill Creek, I have chosen to focus on Marsh Folly as the rallying point for a clean-energy revolution based on energy extraction from the abundance of horticultural waste that has been accumulated over decades of neglect.

The extensive wetlands ranging from Devonshire Marsh through Mill Creek have been a significant challenge to urbanisation for more than 200 years. A previously impenetrable ecosystem has been treated as a dumping ground for a major industrial corridor that requires radical leadership in light of increasing concerns for the environment.

It is time for the constituency to unify around the longstanding integrity of the prestigious Harvard study that officially recognised Pembroke Marsh as the potential “crown jewel” of Bermuda’s National Park system.

For too long, we have heard promises for the area and seen them come and go, leaving communities around Pembroke Central feeling unheard and underserved. The words may be familiar but action is what matters.

I understand this frustration and know that talk without action only fuels cynicism. But just as the stone rejected by builders can become the foundation of something new, Marsh Folly – once seen as an afterthought — can become the cornerstone of a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future for us all.

My journey is rooted in this very principle. As a businesswoman who built her dance studio in Devonshire Marsh, I faced the devastating reality of eviction during the pandemic. But instead of being defeated, I transformed adversity into determination — fuelling my passion to drive real, lasting change for the community I love. This spirit of resilience is what Pembroke Central needs.

As a candidate for Pembroke Central, I am not here to offer empty promises or political rhetoric. I am here to bring real, practical solutions to the forefront — starting with the final implementation of the findings of the Pembroke Marsh Redevelopment Committee formed back in 1983 which identified Marsh Folly as a potential gem in the making.

The plan was painstakingly put together and finalised in 1987 by a group of Harvard University landscape architects who visited Bermuda, consulted with the neighbourhoods and publicly displayed their work for input.

What we need now are not just plans but action. We will harness innovative waste-to-energy technologies that can turn the waste we have accumulated into renewable energy. These technologies are available now and they hold the key to transforming Marsh Folly into a clean energy hub that powers our future, reduces our reliance on fossil fuels and redefines how we interact with our environment.

We’re not asking for anything new. We’re asking for what is already within our reach. Let’s not waste another moment waiting for the future to come to us. The potential of Pembroke Marsh is right here, right now — ready to be nurtured into a sustainable, thriving community that serves our needs for generations to come.

Let us move forward, not with words, but with a clear vision that values practicality over promises, action over rhetoric, and a cleaner, greener Bermuda for all.

In this vision, we are reminded that “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure”, and through our collective efforts, we can transform what has been discarded into the foundation of our future.

• Sophia Cannonier is the One Bermuda Alliance candidate for Pembroke Central (Constituency 17)

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