It is common knowledge that the Willie Redhead Foundation together with like minded organisations have been spearheading the initiative to preserve the heritage of our unique natural marine environment around the Lagoon area.
To that end we have been engaging the developers of Port Louis to come to the perception that to build cottages along the Lagoon would destroy irrevocably the very charm and natural ambiance which have attracted them in the first place and would be denying Grenadians their God-given right to the therapeutic views and vistas of the Lagoon for all times.
The Foundation was given to believe that some progress had been made in this regard, when recently it was officially announced that Port Louis had sold the Marina component of the development to Camper & Nicholsons for US$24Million.
This development, although not unexpected, we were however led to believe that Camper & Nicholsons would honour the agreement reached with Port Louis, that is, that NO COTTAGES WOULD BE BUILT along the Lagoon, but at a meeting held on January 9, 2008 with Mr. Bru Pearce of Camper & Nicholsons and Port Louis, the Foundation could not get a straight answer from Mr. Pearce as to whether Camper & Nicholsons intend to build cottages along the Lagoon, which is now part of their marina holdings.
What was even more disturbing was the display of a recent model of the development which showed unequivocably, cottages along the disputed area of the Lagoon and a revised plan also confirmed what the model indicated.
These ominous signs were reinforced last Sunday, February 3, 2008 on the George Grant Sunday Programme when Mr. Bru Pearce of Camper & Nicholsons was interviewed regarding his plans for the development of the Marina and the land surrounding the Lagoon.
When asked by the moderator to give a straight yes or no answer as to whether cottages would be built along the Lagoon, Mr. Pearce, true to form, neither answered yes or no but churn out the usual double-talk, leaving the listener no better off than before.
It would appear also from Mr. Pearce's pronouncement on the Programme that "he" intends to fill land along the edge of the Lagoon to provide a pedestrian link from Victory Bar to St. George's.
The obvious question to Mr. Pearce is why do we need another pedestrian walk, what is wrong with the existing Pedestrian Side-walk or is the real intention to reclaim further land and fill the lagoon for the said cottages?
From the foregoing the Foundation is of the view that we are back to SQUARE ONE.
The Developers ie. Port Louis and Camper & Nicholsons it would appear - are not prepared to listen to the concerns of the Grenadian people concerning the preservation of their natural heritage.
The ball is therefore now in the court of the Grenadian Public to do what is necessary to protect and preserve our patrimony.
(Submitted by the Willie Redhead Foundation)
