Questions and Concerns Surrounding Impact on the Lagoon, Infrastructure
On Wednesday, 28 February 2024, Member of Parliament for the PFP faction Melissa Gumbs submitted written questions on several developments to the caretaker Ministers of TEATT and VROMI, Mr. Leo Lambriex and Mr. Egbert Doran, respectively. The questions sent to both Ministers related primarily to several large-scale commercial development projects that are expected to have significant impact on the country’s waterways and other bodies of water.
“Recently, environmental groups have highlighted their deep and very valid concerns regarding the environmental impact these projects will have,” Gumbs says. “I wholeheartedly share these environmental concerns and would go even further to say that there is economic damage to consider as well. Environmental damage does not happen in a vacuum; impact to waterways and water-based ecosystems will inevitably impact nearby businesses that depend on the safety, security, beauty and accessibility of these areas.”
Gumbs was referring, of course, to soil erosion caused by extensive construction-based development and how, as a result, there is the possibility for debris and run-off to end up in the lagoon. This would affect depth levels in key areas that can then prevent vessels that are accustomed to entering and docking at any of the already existing marinas from doing just that. Additionally, she expressed worry over the damage done to ecosystems such as Little Bay Pond and Red Pond, both sites at risk for upcoming large-scale developments.
“I have spoken about this consistently on the floor of Parliament,” Gumbs stated. “We run the risk of self-cannibalizing our tourism product because the belief is the more concrete we pour without proper sustainable measures and controls, the better the economy is doing. Meanwhile we froth at the mouth when other islands have structured approaches to their development and continue to outpace us; there is a reason Antigua has captured the sailing market and it’s not because there’s a ton of condos surrounding their waterways.”
In her letters to each ministry, Gumbs asked about the pending developments near and around the Simpson Bay Lagoon, where renderings show the potential to dock vessels of varying sizes in locations that threaten the safety of maritime operations within the body of water and, most notably, in its approach channel.
“Boat captains, instructors and marinas alike have been raising the alarm regarding the disheveled state of the channel, both inside and outside of the lagoon,” Gumbs said. “I can’t imagine the added extra difficulty of having vessels parked alongside or close to the approach channel, so I’ve asked the ministers for some clarity on what permissions have been provided regarding that.”
In addition to this, Gumbs also questioned several other in-process or planned developments at vulnerable areas, requesting clarification as to whether the St. Maarten Nature Foundation had been consulted on the environmental impact to related areas. This is a step that, while not mandatory, Gumbs and PFP have advocated for when it comes to any and all development in vulnerable areas.
“The feedback being received from the community is partly why I asked the current Minister of VROMI if he was considering a pause in large-scale commercial development,” Gumbs concluded. “When put in contrast against the reality that we are 16 square miles of finite land with a precarious environmental situation facing us, it can’t be so crazy as to expect for the pause button to be hit while these conversations around the actual protection of our environment and ecosystems is ironed out. And, if the current Ministers choose not to respond to these questions, then the incoming Government will receive the same questions.”