Letters & Opinion

An Act of Deception

The Independent Eye - By Kensley Peter Charlemagne

ALL indications were that the UWP was against the Sunset Bay Resort Development in Sabwisha, Choiseul. Of course there is little that needs to be done to convince anyone that the hotel development was nothing but an election ploy. Only, the backfire seems to be in the faces of the people of Morne Sion, New Field, Fiette, Delcer and La Pointe. But again, my people like to complain in silence.

There is the sentiment that the parliamentary representative (the same who wanted to build warehouses there) is not defending the cause of the people but is instead pushing the agenda of the developers.

The word on the ground is that those involved in the implementation of the project may boast of doing community consultations but few and select people are attending these meetings, which are under publicized. When you do attend the meetings you can’t ask the tough questions. Dissent is frowned upon.

There was at least one study done in terms of how people in Choiseul felt about the project. I am still trying to find out who conducted the survey and why the findings are being kept under wraps.

The latest I am hearing is that communities such as Fiette, Morne Sion and Delcer are being marooned, alienated with proposed redirection in road usage. I am hearing that there were six options given when the SLP administration was overseeing the implementation of the project but these have been brushed aside as being too expensive. Now they want to deny the residents access through the main road, which they have travelled for years. If the plan goes through properties like Tèt Paul can no longer boast a 20 minute drive to the airport. Bus drivers are already threatening not to access presently hard-to-reach places due to the increase in fuel consumption because of the increased time of travel. Those who think that the value of their properties will increase because of the hotel development may have to think again if the road diversion is going to make the area difficult to access. Those roads will become dead ends and drive will have to retrace their tyre tracks to get back to the village at increased time and fuel costs.

My understanding is that Forestry would have conducted an environmental impact study; not sure who is conducting the social impact study or if one has or will ever be done (but I guess that’s what they’re keeping under wraps.

Are you telling me that our leaders are brainless and can show no innovation? Must every beach in Saint Lucia have a hotel on it? Every country is doing CIP, so we must do it too. In the meantime we are selling much of our agricultural lands and placing this factor of production in the hands of “foreigners”.

I did not know Sir John personally but those who did tell me that in his young days much of the land in Saint Lucia was controlled by a handful of people. That disparity was one of the things that motivated him into politics. Today we are seeing the reverse; backward steps to slavery. But it’s all about jobs, jobs, jobs; never mind what we have to give up in exchange for them.

The writing is on the wall, the youth are talking, “Bradley is a one term member of parliament “ due to his act of deception.

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