Hon. Brenda Hood

Minister of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation

Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation

Ministerial Complex

St. George's

February 15th, 2006

Honourable Minister,

Permit me to present my compliments and best wishes for 2006 and to write to you on various matters of concern as it relates to "tourism development". I take this opportunity to clarify that I write in my individual capacity and not on behalf of any group with which I may be associated.

(1). Journey's End, Grand Anse Beach: I wish to bring to your attention a rather disturbing development that has occurred in that area of the Grand Anse Beach known as Journey's End. I note that the Spice Island Beach Resort has appropriated the area of the two mangineel trees, the only two trees left standing by Hurricane Ivan, providing shade to beach-goers and picnickers.

The area in the vicinity of the two trees has been fenced off, denying we the people, the traditional user rights that we have enjoyed for time immemorial!! I have drawn this development to the attention of a number of people including a member of the Grenada Board of Tourism. I have been unofficially advised that area is the property of the now 5-star resort and that it has been fenced off from THE COWS. Which cows? Those are mangineel trees, very poisonous trees and I can assure you that the 4-legged variety of the cows are much too smart to "hang out" in that area.

So I can only conclude that it has been fenced off from the "two-legged cows", such as my two aged parents who find some respite from the sun under those trees. I am affronted and disgusted! One official even lamely pointed out that there were other beachfront properties that had fences. Yes, the Grand Beach Resort and the Coyaba Hotels have fences! But their fences DO NOT INTERFERE with the user rights of other beach goers. Honourable Minister, you must be well aware that beaches in Grenada are public property.

They belong to we the people. We the people have enjoyed those rights of access for "donkey years" and our late Prime Ministers, Sir Eric Gairy and Maurice Bishop, made sure that they protected those rights!! I respect the rights of property owners to protect their property but I take strong objection to encroaching on public property and denying the user rights of we the people.

Another related and very disturbing development is that the public access to that part of the beach is now cut off. At first I wondered if the digging up of the road was about improving drainage. But I am now speculating as to whether there is not a more SINISTER motive - is it an attempt to discourage "we natives" from using that part of the beach?

Honourable Minister, I request that you look into this matter with the view of SAFEGUARDING the interest of the people of Grenada. The management of this resort has at its helm someone who chairs the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism. The philosophy of sustainable tourism is to harmonise tourism development with the environment and respect the rights of other stakeholders.

If this is the example set by the leadership of that organisation, then we cannot have any faith that the organisation understands sustainable tourism. A five-star resort is admirable but when it seeks to make a section of Grand Anse Beach exclusive, marginalising and denying the traditional rights of other beach users we must object.

I trust, Madam, that urgent and decisive action, will be taken to right this unwelcome situation. (2). Sandal's Resort: I also understand that there will be a Sandal's Resort development in the vicinity of Journey's End, at the furthest southern section of Grand Anse beach - that part of the beach which extends from the Flamboyant Hotel to the jetty at Journey's End. Can you shed some light on this Madam Minister?

As I understand, recommendations have been made in various documents that Grand Anse beach has reached its carrying capacity and that there should be NO FURTHER BEACH FRONT DEVELOPMENTS. That part of the beach is also a popular recreation spot for locals. When last have you visited the beach Honourable Minister?

Did you visit on Independence Day, to see the vehicles and people decked off in flags and the national colours, enjoying a traditional holiday cook-out on the beach after coming from the Independence Rally? As I understand, Sandal's is an all-inclusive resort which suggests that some means is going to be found to make that section of the beach INACCESSIBLE and to ensure that we natives are UNWELCOME on that section of the beach.

Honourable Minister, Grenada is OUR COUNTRY. We welcome tourists but not at the wholesale price of marginalisation and exclusion. (3). Zublin's St. George's Revitalisation Project:

Sometime earlier this year, I was absolutely amazed to listen to the Chief Executive Officer of Zublin via a GBN newscast announcing the MODERNISATION of St. George's, promising that it would be well underway by next year, 2007!! He also referred to some building that would be demolished and some modern(?) structure erected in its place.

Now, Madam Minister, I consider this to be most INAPPROPRIATE coming from the Chief Executive Officer of Zublin. First of all, I expect such an announcement to come from a member of government (or may be the Parliamentary Representative). As members of the government, the MANAGEMENT of the country's affairs is your responsibility.

Does Zublin now OWN or is in charge of St. George's and can do and say very much as they well please? Secondly, as I understand it, St. George's is a HERITAGE city. This aspect of St. George's is part of the tourism product that we market. I believe that at one time, we made some attempts to have St. George's declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. How then can we be modernizing (?) St. George's, destroying the very thing that gives it its character and is integral to the tourism product? Is there something that I am not understanding?

I also want to voice my strenuous objection to the proposal by Zublin to turn the Carenage area into some EXCLUSIVE high-priced yachting marina. The Carenage is also the PEOPLE'S property Madam Minister. We want ACCESS!! (4). Public Consultation on the St. George's Revitalisation Project: I take this opportunity to observe, Honourable Minister, that we the people are still awaiting the public consultation on the St. George's Revitalisation Project.

Last year, Zublin informed us that the consultation which was scheduled for September last year was postponed and would be rescheduled. We expect to have an opportunity to be informed of and to debate the Environmental Impact Assessment before any "modernisation" commences. Thank you Madam for the opportunity to raise these concerns and I look forward to your expeditious action on the matter of access re Journey's End, Grand Anse Beach.

Kind regards.

Sandra C. A. Ferguson