Tucker's Point issue reminds us that we are God's stewards of the earth

With all this talk of a Special Development Order (SDO) and the environment it convinces me that we really have to think hard and make decisions that we will not regret.

It is not an easy task to be faced with — without a doubt Bermuda definitely needs a healthy injection of whatever it will take to boost our tourism industry; however we cannot jeopardize the future ecological and historical well being of our island home. 

The eco-system is very delicate indeed and requires to be respected.

After all, if our eco-system is put into jeopardy the repercussions can be very detrimental and then what good would the money that tourism brings be? Research has shown that we need a balance of nature to keep the earth healthy. Research has also shown what the effects of too much industrial building can cause.

We as Bermudians must be well versed in the pros and cons of the SDO so that we can make an educated decision to protect that area of Tucker’s Town that is historically symbolic to us. Also we have to protect what is considered irreplaceable pristine landscape. We also must consider the economic pros and cons of the SDO.

After all mankind has been placed as God’s vice-regent (representative) on earth. In the Qur’an God says He has breathed His spirit into man.

Qur'an. Ch 38- 72, 73: When thy Lord said unto the angels: lo! I am about to create a mortal out of mire, And when I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My Spirit, then fall down before him prostrate.

This verse tells us the high station God put on man as even the angels had to prostrate to mankind after he was created. 

Also, mankind was the only creature of God’s creation that accepted the trust offered by God.

This trust was offered to all of creation and man was the only one who accepted it, as we see from the following sura: Qur’an. Ch. 33 vr. 72: We did indeed offer the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof. But man undertook it (the trust)...

As trustees of the earth, mankind must carry out this significant task with the utmost of dignity and responsibility.

We have already failed miserably thus far and have a lot to catch up on to rectify the matter; take for instance the ozone layer, mass waste, the pollution of the oceans, and so on.

I feel that the recent earthquakes, tsunamis come about as a direct result of not respecting the earth. I learned the other day that mangroves protect the environment and act as a natural shock absorber to the earth.

Mangrove forests protect uplands from storm winds, waves, and floods. Man-groves can help prevent erosion by stabilizing shorelines with their specialized root systems.

We know that in Asia particularly, many mangroves were destroyed to make way for industrialization and we all know that tsunamis have devastated that area. Could there be some connection? We must be very careful.

My granny Stubbs always told me that one cannot eat money! How true, but we can eat to sustain ourselves from what we plant in the earth.

I’ll take food over money any day! I believe in the quote by Mohandas K. Gandhi: “There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed”. 

Let us pray Bermuda for an amicable end to this SDO plight. That the decision, which is ultimately made, will be in the best interest of Bermudians and Bermuda.

Let us pray that God will bless us for the decision which is made. After all, we want the earth to tell a beautiful story of love, respect and nurturing that was given to her by her trustees —  mankind. 

Let us remember “we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children” (Native American proverb).  Ameen.