BERMUDA (12 Mar 2005) -- Tourism Minister Ewart Brown has explained why he is backing plans for a controversial new dolphin park. While admitting that he was not an environmental expert, Dr. Brown insisted that developers should be granted planning permission for the facility in a bid to give the Island's tourism industry a shot in the arm. In December Dolphin Oasis owners Martin and Lynn Hassell were denied planning permission to build a dolphin park at Sinky Bay, Southampton. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals objected to the appeal and collected 150 e-mails. However, the developers have since appealed the Development Application Board's decision to Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield and also won the backing of Dr. Brown. "I do believe in competition and that a more competitive climate will make Bermuda a more exciting place. That goes for hotels, night clubs and dolphin parks," Dr. Brown told The Royal Gazette. "What concerned me when I first read about the objection was that the major and most vocal objector was the company that would, God forbid, have to compete against the new entity. What are they saying? That they know how to treat captive dolphins and the new guys don't?" Dr. Brown said he had strong feelings about the negative reaction to the park which had become a Bermudian tradition. | | "I have, too often, seen people object when their neighbour is applying to add a bathroom!" he said. He conceded that he did not know who else has objected to the park because he has not followed the story closely. He was adamant that adding another dolphin park would not be bad for tourism. "Will people stay away from Bermuda because there are two dolphin parks but will come if there is only one? I doubt it. It that were a significant factor, Orlando would not be the number one tourist destination in the US. Why do I support the new park publicly? Because I think we need more exciting attractions/options for our visitors," he said. However, outspoken environmentalist Lisa Vickers criticised Dr. Brown. "I believe that people come to Bermuda to get the Bermuda experience and Dolphin Oasis is not and will never be part of this," Ms Vickers said. "We need to promote Bermuda as something different, not mould it into a virtual clone of Caribbean islands." |
