Still crying for Buccoo Reef

“We are still ‘Crying for Buccoo Reef,’” some 20-odd years after a documentary film of the same name was screened highlighting the destruction/deterioration — and sadly most if not all of it by man — of the world-famous reef on Tobago’s south-west coast.

That is the glaring truth of the situation as it relates to the state of the reef at present as encapsulated by reef tour operator Hewlett Hazel, at a very poorly attended panel discussion at Works Building, Shaw Park, Thursday evening. Only nine persons, excluding panelists, organisers and media representatives, were present at the session hosted by the Tobago House of Assembly’s (THA’s) Tourism Division as part of activities celebrating National Tourism Week. “Buccoo Reef — Past, Present and Future” was the theme of the panel discussion. Hazel noted that when the documentary “Cry for Buccoo Reef” was aired in the 1970s, the cry, then, was that there was a great need for more information; a lack of information was identified as the problem, he recalled. “Now, we have the information; what we need is implementation, time to act is now!” declared Hazel. “This problem is a big one, and we can’t solve it by pointing fingers; we all have to work together. We can’t stop it,” he argued, “but we can slow down the deterioration of Buccoo Reef.”

However, another panelist, Dr Owen Day, of the Buccoo Reef Trust (BRT), countered that the damage to the reef was reversible. “Yes, it is reversible, but it will take a long time,” he explained, adding that there have been reefs that have been rehabilitated. With respect to the damage to the reef caused by poor sewerage disposal, he declared, “Everybody wants to build on the fringe of Buccoo Reef!” It was also generally agreed that the need for greater public awareness could not be overemphasised. Reef tour operators were divided on the burning question of whether walking on the reef by visitors should be banned. However, while some operators claim if there was no ‘walking’ people would not visit the reef, Edgar Johnson, a veritable walking encyclopedia on the reef, insisted: “Walking (on the reef) must be banned completely!” Of the overall state of the reef, the well-known villager/reef tour operator lamented: “I’m really hurt!” Legally, at present, Buccoo Reef enjoys the status of a Restricted Area, with all the relevant regulations. Why are these regulations not being enforced? All concerned agree that the question begs an answer.