I don’t want to tell my children, “Well, this used to be oceanfront, and now we have to have a huge sea wall because the waves don’t recede the way that they used to.” I don’t want to have to tell them that by the year 2100, The Bahamas will be underwater. Those are a couple of my biggest fears for this country.
A part of what I like to drive home when I talk about climate change is the loss of heritage and moments that you can’t physically replace. I’ve seen people who have lost their homes and are traumatized by heavy rain, they are traumatized by loud sounds, they are traumatized when hurricane season rolls around.
We have a history of being a culture that has been more reactive, as opposed to proactive. I want to get away from that. I want Bahamians to understand that your voice and your actions mean something — so never stop using your voice.