By Jasmin Bonimy, Guardian Staff Repoter

jasmin@nasguard.com

With the recent explosion of multi-million dollar anchor projects across The Bahamas many believe the country will see an economic boom. But for some, concerns over environmental degradation far outweigh monetary benefits.

In recent years, scores of environmentalists have rallied against big business developments that they say have placed local wetlands, beachfronts and marine life at risk.

For the past two years controversy has been sparked in Abaco over the Baker's Bay Resort development at Guana Cay.

The debate became so heated that work on the project was halted during an ongoing court battle between the Save Guana Cay Reef Association (SGCRA) and developers of the project.

But construction of the $500 million development resumed after the Court of Appeal's dismissed SGCRA's application.

Still come South Abaconians and members of the Association believe the development will destroy their way of life by killing the lush coral reef offshore - the breeding grounds for future generations of fish and other marine animals.

The Save Guana Cay Reef Association is also upset with the central government for leasing more than 100 acres of crown land and treasury land, without the approval of the local government, to help the Discovery Land Company build Baker's Bay Golf and Ocean Club.

With an initial investment of approximately $20 million, the Passerine Partners are proposing to build the resort/residential complex, which they say will include a 75-room luxury villa-style hotel and associated amenities, a first-class 240-slip marina, an 18-hole, 585-acre championship golf course, 350 residential lots and many other luxury facilities.

Meanwhile, the construction of a golf course on one of the country's most popular resort islands has also caused an uproar among environmentalists in the nation's capital. However, developers insist that their project will not harm the environment.

In recent months the Kerzner International project met strong opposition from environmentalists and tour/dive operators in New Providence.

According to environmentalists the fertilisers and toxic material from the golf course, if carried into the ocean, can completely destroy the marine life near the island and devastate what many view as a 'wonder of the world.'

Tour operators also claimed that their livelihood will be tampered with if the world's first protected sea gardens and coral reefs are destroyed.

And they will certainly be destroyed, according to Sam Duncombe, Director of Re Earth, because a part of the development involves filling 35 acres of the ocean with landfill, which will increase the land mass of the island.

But hotels are not the only projects to cause an uproar. Roadways have also joined the mix.

On Monday, South Androsians reportedly came close to blows with a Nassau-based construction company that was filling in a popular Andros creek. Since then work on the road has reportedly been stopped.

At the time Mr Smith, a local leader, admitted that tensions had run high at Dodum Creek after the construction company, which was hired by the Ministry of Works, blocked locals from entering the site.

According to Mr Smith local officials and residents had not been given a reason as to why the road is being built.

"They ran us from up there today," he explained on Monday. "They blocked the entrance off from locals and that did not sit well with us. As a matter of fact, I mean, not to put it bluntly but we were ready to go up there head to head throwing blows."

But probably the biggest environmental issue to grab headlines in recent weeks involves a proposed liquefied natural gas plant.

With reports indicating that a heads of agreement for the LNG plant is currently under negotiation with the Virginia-based AES Corporation, Ms Duncombe is calling for a LNG referendum.

AES wants to lay a 94-mile, 24-inch-diameter LNG pipe between Ocean Cay in southern Bimini and Dania Beach, Florida.