Bermuda’s Shipping Channels Study
[Updated with videos] Transport Minister Terry Lister held a press conference today [Sept.27] to discuss the ‘Study of Bermuda’s Shipping Channels to Accommodate Larger Cruise Ships.’
The study covered various aspects including trends in cruise market and vessel characteristics, environmental conditions, impact to aquatic and terrestrial habitats, dredging and dredged material disposal, engineering feasibility, cost to construct and more.
He said there will be a series of town hall meetings scheduled for the 11th, 12th and 13th of October where everyone will have the opportunity to learn more about the report and ask questions.
Video of Minister Lister’s statement:
Video of Q&A:
Minister Lister’s full statement follows below:
Good afternoon,
The Department of Marine & Ports commenced work on a study of our shipping channels in January of this year. The first steps were to meet with stakeholders to provide an overview of the study’s objectives, define the methodology and timelines.
The report is titled “Study of Bermuda’s Shipping Channels to Accommodate Larger Cruise Ships” and the study objectives included:
- Defining minimum channel modifications
- Trends in cruise market and vessel characteristics
- Environmental conditions
- Impact to aquatic and terrestrial habitats
- Potential to social-economic impacts
- Dredging and dredged material disposal
- Engineering feasibility and cost to construct
The Department of Marine & Ports received the first draft in June and the second draft was received on 8th August.
It was agreed the draft report would be shared with stakeholders prior to public dissemination to get stakeholder comments and feedback for possible inclusion in the final report.
As promised, meetings were convened, the draft report was shared, and the feedback and comments on the findings will be incorporated in the final report.
These stakeholders included:
- The Department of Environmental Protection
- The Department of Conservation Services
- Representatives from the Ministry of Public Works
- The Corporation of Hamilton
- The Corporation of St. George’s
- The National Trust and BEST
All stakeholders were advised that the Ministry of Transport would schedule Town Hall Meetings in mid October to present the report to the Bermuda Public and begin the public discourse on this subject.
Stakeholders were also asked to refrain from sharing the report with media as the Ministry of Transport wanted to avoid having the subject debated in the media prior to the public presentations and prior to the completion of the final report.
Therefore it is extremely disappointing that an individual or group of individual stakeholders chose to provide the media with a copy of the report’s second draft as the Ministry’s plans for dissemination and the public discourse process have now been pre-empted.
The Ministry has honoured its commitment to ensure the process was inclusive but despite our best efforts others have chosen to betray the trust that was established.
To make an informed and well founded decision, it is important to gather the facts and data to evaluate the risks, impacts and opportunities, and this is the overarching objective of the study.
At this very early stage no decision has been made and there remains much work to be done on this subject.
The public will also soon be informed about a series of town hall meetings scheduled for the 11th, 12th and 13th of October where everyone will have the opportunity to learn more about the report and ask questions.
I encourage the public to come out to these meetings so that we can move forward in a spirit of consultation and cooperation.
Thank you.
The Minister’s statement “Stakeholders were also asked to refrain from sharing the report with media as the Ministry of Transport wanted to avoid having the subject debated in the media prior to the public presentations and prior to the completion of the final report”
is an example of why this country needs to not only pass Public Acess To Information (PATI) Act but give it resources so that the puclic can know what is happening and not be involved in projects so far down in the planning process to have influence.
I agree. The public are the stakeholders. No one owns this information. We must not be afraid to share information. This is awful.
HAS anyone considered that it’s not worth spending millions of dollars to cut 3 islands and widen a town cut when THERES NO GURANTEE that the cruise ships will bring tourists that will spend the dollars needed to 1)revitalize St. George and 2)cover the public purse debt spent to widen the cut.
Simple process improvement is needed, establish a vision, mission, then do the objectives. We are trying to widen the town cut WITHOUT a Tourism Strategy. We are working backwards MR LISTER!!!!!!!!! Do your career a favor and partner with Minister Wilson please!
The plan has nothing to do with tourism. The entire purpose of the project is to award another contract to someone on the F&F plan.
THe Minister should just glance at what other islands do. I went on a cruise to the Caymans. They actually berth inthe channel while boats tender tourist to shore….
Didn’t we used to do that? Tender tourists to shore, that is? Would provide work for the tender skippers, that isn’t much but it’s something. In this economy, every job counts.
Why would you ever try to prevent the public gaining knowledge on a particular subject which they wish to know more about?? This is not the role of government to decide what and when we should know things. We are not facist…
The Bermuda TAXPAYER is the most important stakeholder of all.
Release the report to the TAXPAYER. If its been done properly it will contain all information available. Obviously it is a discussion document.
Yes by all means have the meetings but lets have the information disseminated first.