State warns developer
ENVIRONMENT Ministry permanent secretary Joshua Wycliffe says the State will take action against a resort if the construction of an artificial wave breaker was built without following proper procedure.
When quizzed by this newspaper, he said he was not aware of the project.
Resort owners, however, claimed a copy of the project’s environmental impact assessment (EIA) report had been submitted to the Department of Environment’s office.
Mr Wycliffe said if the project was implemented without proper consultation, then they would take the necessary action against the project owners.
“If it has happened and if there was no proper environmental consultations made, the law allows for the director to review and to take action on any illegitimate illegal exercise even if it involves the planting of corals,” Mr Wycliffe said.
“If consultations were not made, if social consultations were not made, the director is able to review it and impose conditions or impunitive measures against the perpetrator.”
Locals in the area have described the damaged artificial wave breaker as an eyesore. Questions sent to the resort owner remain unanswered.
Meanwhile, a co-founder and shareholder of the project has defended the project.
He said the breakwater was designed to protect the reef by focusing on foot traffic that was damaging large areas of the reef and as safe boat access.
“As stated in the EIA with the DoE; there is no mention to incorporate surfing in the structure, although it did provide small surfing waves during full tides,” he said.
“Similar to other applications with sand-filled containers, they did not last for very long (removed in 2016 after STC Winston), although they were gifted to the resort and provide useful access while they were in place.”