CATEGORY:LETTER ------------------- INSIDE GRENADA MONDAY July 30,2007 by Sandra C. Ferguson Mr. Nelson Louison Chairman, Land Development Control Authority c/o Physical Planning Unit Carenage St. George’s Attn: Members of the Land Development Control Authority: Mr. Andre Worme, Ministry of Health and Environment Mr. Mark Isaac, Ministry of Agriculture Mr. Michael Mason, Ministry of Agriculture Ms. Winifred Duncan-Phillip, Member Mr. Cecil Frederick, Physical Planning Unit Mr. Kenneth Noel, Grenada Industrial Dev. Corp Dear Sir, Re Port Louis Lagoon Area Development ----------------------------------------- Thank you for your letter of July 13th - a response to my letters of March 19th, 2007 and June 18th, 2007 re the above-referenced - advising me that the Land Development Control Authority, at its meetings of March 30th and June 28th , discussed the concerns and issues raised in my letters. Your letter has advised me that the Authority: • is aware of the development • is in consultation with the developers to ensure that they comply with all planning and environmental standards so that a balanced and sustainable form of development can be achieved. I regret, Sir, that this response does not offer any assurance that the issues and concerns raised are being taken seriously. The response appears to be deliberately VAGUE and DOES NOT RESPOND TO THE VERY CLEAR AND PRECISE QUESTIONS asked. I therefore repeat the questions and would be extremely appreciative of a simple, direct response (in fact, you would note that the questions lend themselves to one-word responses): • Has Mr. de Savary has been given permission to develop an area in which he has to re-locate the public road and INFRINGE on the property of other legitimate property owners? • Has Mr. de Savary been given permission to RECLAIM LAND and BUILD COTTAGES along the Lagoon water front? • Were ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS conducted? Were they conducted by independent, competent and credible individuals? • Was there a REVIEW of these assessments? • Have the decisions of the Land Development Control Authority in respect of this project been informed by the review of these assessments? Indeed Sir, since receiving your response, some VERY DISTURBING INFORMATION has come to my attention and I feel it absolutely necessary to bring this to your attention and to seek your clarification on this matter. It is alleged, Sir, that you are directly or indirectly, individually or in association with others, a SERVICE PROVIDER to Mr. Peter De Savary and the Port Louis development. More specifically, it has been alleged, Sir, that: • You are an AGENT of sorts to Mr. De Savary, in the IDENTIFICATION OF ALTERNATE LANDS for some category of persons who are to be displaced by the development. • You appeared to have a contractual arrangement with the persons and/or company which provided services in the construction of Port Louis’ Victory Bar. In other words, you appeared to have been a CONTRACTOR/SUB-CONTRACTOR (?) on this construction. IF this is indeed the case, Sir, then you would appreciate that there is an untenable CONFLICT OF INTEREST and that the INTEGRITY of the Land Development Control Authority in respect of this project has been well and truly COMPROMISED. I therefore await your urgent response to this query. I have noted, Sir, the ongoing conflict between the residents of Westerhall and the owner/operator of Ross Combined Workshop re the dumping of scrap metal and associated wastes in this residential area – a situation that has come about because one of the LEGITIMATE property owners in the Lagoon area, the owner/operator of the Ross Combined Workshop has been displaced and has to be re-located. • Has the Land Development Authority GIVEN PERMISSION for this dumping in wetlands, bordering a residential area? • Has this decision been informed by the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment? • Does this action reflect what the Authority considers”….COMPLYING WITH ALL PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS so that a balanced and sustainable form of development can be achieved?” I look forward to your response. Kind regards! Sincerely yours, Sandra C.A. Ferguson