Look everyone. We are fighting for more than just the boatyard. We are fighting for the right of the public to have access to all planning applications. This a basic right in any democratic country. If a developer wants to put a multi-storey car park next to your house, you have a right to know the details so that you can submit your objections. The law gives us that right – in the Physical Planning and Development Act 2016, in common law and in international agreements to which Grenada is a signatory including the Escazú Agreement.
But the Planning and Development Authority doesn’t want scrutiny of its decisions so it acts unlawfully in denying us access. That is why we have resorted to the courts. We are using the boatyard case but there are many other examples of the Authority denying access to applications and it has become stated policy and practice of the Authority to do so.
Of course, this raises suspicions of what the Authority is up to. Who are these Authority Members anxious to flout the law and whose interests are they acting in? And it may not have gone unnoticed that when the boatyard was first given planning consent by the Authority, one of the Authority’s Members was also an owner of the boatyard project.
We need to win this case and establish once and for all the right of access to public information. We also need new Authority Members. All the current Members are in financing and construction industries. Not one voting Member represents the economic, social or environmental sectors vital to ensure that development projects are in the interests of the population at large not greedy developers out for short term profits. And the Authority has operated without Members from ministries of environment and health as mandated under the Act. The Authority can’t be bothered by what the law says!
We will know very soon whether we have won our case. If we have, we will immediately have access to the information required to challenge the planning consent for the boatyard. And we will do so.
In parallel with all this, we have now written to all Cabinet Members explaining why the government lease on the boatyard land should be terminated (see our email to you of 5 October 2024). We will keep you informed.
But you must help us with our legal fees. We can’t do this alone. This is urgent. Please send contributions to:
Account: Roger England
Number: 4125100
Savings
BANK NAME: Grenada Co-operative Bank Limited
BANK ADDRESS: 8 Church Street, St. George, Grenada
SWIFT ADDRESS: GROAGDGD
and email us that you have done so.
Times are changing. More and more we are realising the importance of our natural and cultural assets. Without proper use and protection of them, we will wreck our heritage and drive our tourism industry down market. There will be nothing special to come here for so prices will fall to keep hotel rooms occupied. More and more tourists and more and more environmental degradation for less and less income. Time to fight back!
With kind regards
Coral Cove Group – Working For Grenada
L’Anse aux Epines
contact@coralcovegrenada.org