By JEREMY FRANCIS

Freeport News Reporter

Damaging testimony from Hope Town District Council Chief Councillor Walter Sweeting could secure Save Guana Cay Reef Association's Court of Appeal victory in its objection of Discovery Land Company's Passerine Development on Guana Cay, Abaco.

The SGCRA's Court of Appeal case is expected to unfold before the end of the month.

The SGCRA and the residents of Guana Cay are in opposition of the $500 million marina project, as they say it will harm a pristine harbour that is situated in a protected turtle-nesting area, among other environmental catastrophes. Addition-ally, Guana Cay residents argue that disruption of the environment could impede the way many of them make their living.

In an affidavit in support of the SGCRA, Mr. Sweeting stated that numerous meetings were held between governmental agencies and the residents of Guana Cay while the Passerine Develop-ment was in its 'infancy stages.' Though District Council members weren't always invited to those meetings, Mr. Sweeting stated that he took it upon himself to be in attendance at such occasions.

In a memorable discussion with Financial Services and Investment Minister Allyson Maynard-Gibson on August 23, 2004, Mr. Sweeting said she wanted to know what his 'take' was on a previous meeting that was introduced by Freeport Senior Administrator Alexander Williams and Dr. Baltron Bethel of the Hotel Corporation.

"I shared with her the concerns expressed by the residents of Great Guana Cay at the meeting," Mr. Sweeting said. "Having told her the concerns of the residents of Great Guana Cay, I then said to her that I felt that she fully owed it to the people of Great Guana Cay to come to Great Guana Cay to hear their concerns directly.

"I particularly remember her stating and emphasizing, 'Let me assure you, Chief Councillor, this is just in the infancy stage, and before any Heads of Agreement is signed, I would have personally come to Guana Cay, just like I did in Cherokee Sound, and hold a town meeting and meet with the people.'"

Mr. Sweeting acknowledged that at the meeting, the project's developers had indicated that the development would be shifted from the northern side of the cay to its southern side, as one of the residents' concerns was beach access. But what the outcome of the cay's golf course would be, the issue of how Crown and Treasury Land was being controlled, and a concern over what would become of the cay's wetland remained "hard and sticky issues," Mr. Sweeting noted.

No changes were proposed by the developers or the government regarding those issues and a meeting has yet to be held between Minister Gibson and the people of Great Guana Cay, he said.

In past court appearances, SGCRA attorney Frederick Smith has taken the attorney of the developers to task. The SGCRA has even gone as far as suing Prime Minister Perry Christie, as the Minister responsible for Crown Lands; Wendell Major, as secretary to the National Economic Council; and Eugenia Cartwright, in her capacity as treasurer, with Mr. Smith arguing that the Prime Minister Christie and representatives of the government did not consult with any of the residents of Guana Cay before the Heads of Agreement was signed.