Anti-Southlands petitioners presented the Environment Minister with almost 3,200 signatures yesterday just two hours before the proposal was officially closed to public comment. Seventy-five percent of the signatures are said to belong to Bermudians.

The Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce (BEST) was behind the petition which rallied support to halt developers seeking a special development order (SDO). Most of the signatures were submitted online.

The group’s chairman Stuart Hayward gave the petition to Minster Neletha Butterfield on the steps of the Cabinet Building.

The two environmental stewards exchanged complimentary words about each other to the media.

Mr. Hayward said: “I speak for many Bermudians in expressing our appreciation for the unprecedented step you took to issue a draft SDO for the application to build a hotel at Southlands in Warwick.

“By inviting the public to comment, you have watered the seeds of consultative democracy that many of us yearn to have take full root in Bermuda.”

Minister Butterfield said: “Let me first say to you, Mr. Hayward, thank you for your outstanding work as an environmentalist — helping to protect and preserve the environment. Your work has not gone unnoticed.”

Minister Butterfield has made very few public comments about the Southlands proposal to maintain impartiality, but her Government’s Leader has strongly supported the luxury resort project which is seen as a step towards revitalising the country’s tourism product.

BEST argues the project is too damaging to the environment and the SDO request is setting a dangerous precedent. Either way, with the public comment phase closed now, for a second time, the final decision rests with the Minister.

Mr. Hayward said: “Yours is a difficult job. You are charged with protecting the environment, for all the people who reside and visit here, against a virtual onslaught.

“There are individuals and agents who may speak the word ‘sustainability’, but whose aspirations and actions are more for narrow political or financial interest.”

The Minister was asked if she views the job ahead of her as a difficult one.

She said: “I think we all have difficult jobs, whether its in politics, whether its in an office, or whether its in your home. And through difficulties, we can get through with consultation.

“And as we continue to talk about it, we continue to debate, and we continue to consult there are all kinds of ways to work out things to come to some kind of solution. “

The Minister acknowledged she has already thought about the decision she’s facing, but said she couldn’t put forward a timetable.

Every petitioner who signed-on also had the opportunity to leave a comment, so the volume of the petition filled two large binders which the Minister carried away with the help of a Ministry employee.

BEST plans to continue collecting signatures on its website until the Minister rules.

It’s not clear yet how many other people took advantage of the reopened public comment phase, but Mr. Hayward estimated there will be hundreds of objection letters.