CATEGORY:SITUATION UPDATE ----------------------------- INSIDE GRENADA SATURDAY April 21,2007 by Wallace J.A GRENADA: On Thursday of this week, the Upper House of Parliament (Senate) passed the highly controversial amendment to Section 6 of the National Parks and Protected Areas Act. The amendment to the Act gives the Governor General the power by proclamation to allow for the sale of lands designated as national parks to private investors after first consulting with the National Parks Advisory Council. The bill was presented in the Senate by Senator Ann David Antoine, Minister with responsibility for the environment. She said that Government was looking for a win/win situation and that all things have been considered in terms of the development and protection of the environment. The bill was passionately debated in the Upper House with Senators George Prime, Arley Gill and Chester Humphrey voicing their strong opposition to its passage. Those who opposed the bill are of the opinion that Government may have some hidden motive and it is not doing enough to protect the environmental heritage of the country. Following the passage of the bill in the Lower House last week Friday, an emergency meeting was held on Tuesday of this week involving the media and various stakeholder groups in the country. At that meeting, delegates discussed possible ramifications of the bill and agreed to a course of action with a view to educate the public and register their concerns over the passage of this controversial amendment to the National Parks and Protected Areas Act.