GRENVILLE, St.Andrew’s: A young man from the rural village of Conference, St.Andrew’s, has found himself in trouble with the law and has been sentenced to four months in prison. Earnest Forrester was handed this sentence by Magistrate Augustine at the Grenville Magistrate’s Court after he was found guilty of the offence of illegal sand mining at the Conference Bay area in St.Andrew’s.

Forrester age 40, Carlyle Noel age 46, Stephen Williams age 44 and Reginald Peters age 46 - all residents of Conference - were arrested on Wednesday 17th May, 2006. Mr. Forrester was the driver of the truck, TU 948, which was used to remove the sand. The arrested persons appeared before Magistrate Augustine this morning, Friday May 19, to answer charges of sand mining, and all pleaded guilty as charged.

Noel, Williams and Peters were granted bail with a sum of $1500 EC, and would reappear before Magistrate Augustine on July 25, 2006 for sentencing after completing a specially arranged program.

The Office of the Commissioner of Police has released previous warnings and advisories to the Grenadian public about the illegality of sand mining in certain areas without proper authorization, however, many persons continue to remove sand from beaches and costal areas without endorsement from the relevant authority. The Gravel Concrete & Emulsion Production Corporation (GC&EPC) is the only authorized entity in the country to supply sand.

With a construction boom in the country, there is a high demand for sand to be used in the construction of concrete structures. Some truck drivers have been ‘circumventing’ the GC&EPC and have been removing sand illegally from many of the beaches in the country with a view to increasing their profit margin.

Unauthorized and uncontrolled sand mining, however, impacts negatively on the environment and the long tern damages could be irreversible. In an attempt to significantly minimize on the damage to our beaches caused by illegal sand mining, officers of the Royal Grenada Police Force have stepped up their monitoring of the nation’s beaches and are advising persons in La Poterie, Conference, River Antoine and La Sagesse to work along with the police officers to save and protect our beaches and costal areas.

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