MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Caribbean Islands Will Be National Parks

Three Caribbean islands home only to sea birds and turtles are soon to become national parks in the British Virgin Islands, the natural resources minister said Thursday.

The British territory's government hopes that by taking over Sandy Cay, Sandy Spit and Green Cay, it will prevent private companies from developing resorts that might disrupt the local environment, Minister Alvin Christopher said.

"Such development would negatively impact the sensitive nature of the islands without active environmental management and conservation control," Christopher said during a speech to the Legislative Council.

The islands, featuring sandy beaches and rocky shorelines, are less than 1 mile (2 kilometers) from western Jost Van Dyke, one of the smallest inhabited islands in this territory of about 22,000.

Sandy Spit and Green Cay, which together cover about 15 acres (6 hectares), are on sale for $1.7 million. Christopher said the government was negotiating with the private owners, but did not give further details.

Undeveloped Sandy Cay, bought in 1956 by Laurence S. Rockefeller, includes a mangrove swamp and a dry forest. The Rockefeller Foundation has agreed to donate the 14-acre (5.6-hectare) island as soon as the government devises a plan for its management, Christopher said.