MAYOR of Vieux Fort, Orricia Dembow-Bullen is not fazed the opposition among some business people in her townabout the $2.6 billion project that is expected to unroll in that part of the country over the next several years.
The opposition became noticeable Tuesday when protesters from Vieux Fort assembled near the parliament building next to Constitution Park, Castries denouncing the project, the displacement it will cause to persons operating on Sandy Beach and other concerns.
The din outside caused House Speaker Lorne Theodore-John to come out of her chambers and talk directly to protesters calling on them to keep the racket they were making under control.
“You will have to keep the noise under control. Everyone, I am going to ask you politely and nicely. If I continue to hear that noise through the chamber I have the right to ask that you disperse within the precinct of the parliament,” Theodore-John said.
Despite the opposition to the project, most of which will be taking place in her town, Mayor Dembow-Bullen is steadfast in her belief that the project is a good one for Vieux Fort.
“Vieux Fort needs that boost. When you put people to work, crime takes a back seat,” she said juxtaposing the number of jobs the project promised and the amount of crime in the community.
The DSH Caribbean Star Limited project, she said, will change the mindset of the unemployed because of the job stability it offers.
With respect to the protest outside parliament Tuesday, Mayor Dembow-Bullen said she cannot speak on that as the different phases of the project have not yet been finalized and more information will be revealed by government when the time comes.
The VOICE has been reliably informed that owners of a string of restaurants and bars on Sandy Beach are not pleased with the agreement as they stand to lose the lands on which their businesses are located.
Job stability? Really mayor? Please read from the Supplementary Agreement, signed (yes, SIGNED) by PM Allen Chastanet, Pinkley and ‘Master Developer’ Teo Ah Khing of DSH on 29 July 2016:
5.2. The Master Developer shall be permitted to structure its agreements or arrangements with any contractors or sub-contractors, suppliers or other specialists in whatsoever form as it determines in its absolute discretion including (without limitation) through joint venture companies.
5.3 Subject to considerations as to cost, quality and speed of delivery, the Master Developer undertakes, where feasible and where appropriate to do so (which shall be determined solely by the Master Developer) to seek to secure local contractors with the relevant competence (skills and expertise) to fulfill the requirements of the Master Developer before retaining external contractors.
5.4 The Government of Saint Lucia agrees to waive, and agrees to procure the waiver of, statutory Work Permit fees and Personal Income Tax for personnel of the Master Developer domiciled in Saint Lucia for the duration of the Project.
Signed, Allen Chastanet, PM.
Teo Ah Khing, Massa Developer
What do you read from these clause. No St Lucians will be employed? Do you know the nature and size of the projects. I think you should have a look at some of the projects done by this company.
Do not confuse being a designer of a project with doing or carrying out a project. This is a novice developer-(architect turn developer) -no solid history of developing successful projects