A hot topic, now under protest and discussion in Anguilla, is a proposed yacht marina in Road Pond, Sandy Ground. For decades, the pond served as a lucrative source of salt production for the export market as well as for domestic use.
The salt industry eventually ceased formal operations, but the pond has remained one of Anguilla’s main cultural heritages both for the people of Sandy Ground and the island on a whole.
Sandy Ground was one of five locations in Anguilla earmarked for superyacht marinas – and the Road Pond there is the first for which a MOU was signed by the previous Government of Anguilla. On assuming office, on June 30, this year, the Government of the Anguilla Progressive Movement said it found the MOU agreement in place. Since then, the matter has been the subject of much debate on the island, with the people of Sandy Ground mounting billboards protesting the proposed marina project.
The new Government of Anguilla met with the developers of the company, Sandy Ground Development Ltd., on Monday, September 21, at Quintessence Hotel at Long Bay, West End. In addition to the Premier and his Cabinet, officials of the Ministry of Finance and the Anguilla Air and Sea Ports Authority were in attendance.
A few days, prior to the meeting, the Premier, Dr. Ellis Webster, spoke to The Anguillian newspaper about the sensitive proposed project. “We can’t run away from these things. We are the elected Government and we have to face these matters,” he commented. “When we got in, we found that there was a definitive agreement – which is similar to a MOU – that was signed on June 3rd by the former Administration, for a yacht marina in Sandy Ground. The project also entails a hotel and villas. It does not require that any persons in Sandy Ground have to sell their land; but I am sure that can be arranged with the developers. In fact, we have a meeting with the developers on Monday coming, September 21st, when we will discuss the project with them.
“In the MOU definitive agreement, there is a requirement for an environmental impact assessment and a social impact study. These studies have to be done and paid for by the developers but they have been given a list of companies that do these assessments – by Physical Planning here in Anguilla – and that is also part of the definitive agreement. Once that is done, they will let us know what the findings are. Then we will go from there.
“I feel it is necessary to look at all options. I certainly know that it is a very passionate subject. There are people who are for the project and people who are against it. What we will do is that we will go out to the people after we get this study and the findings. We will hold town hall meetings with the people in Sandy Ground, specifically, but with the people of Anguilla in general. We will then let the people come to a consensus as to what they think is best for Anguilla.”
Premier Webster added: “The Government of Anguilla is a continuous entity. So just because one Administration signed a MOU and another Administration came in, it does not mean that we have to just oppose whatever that was. I feel that whatever is in the best interest of Anguilla and needs to go forward – provided that all the studies show that it is in the best interest of Anguilla –[it will be considered]. And so, I just don’t want people to think that because the APM comes in and the AUF may have signed the MOU that we will automatically oppose it. That’s not what Government is about. Certainly, we understand the sentiments of the people of Sandy Ground and other Anguillians. People are on one side or the other side; and we are just hoping that, once we get all the facts and information, people won’t just sensationalise it. Anguillians will have a chance to say they are for it or against it – and then we will move on.”
Commenting further on the proposed project, Premier Webster stated: “People are asking – why don’t we tell the developers to use one of the other sites that was part of the study that was done. There were five sites they looked at – Sandy Ground, Blowing Point, Rendezvous, Little Harbour and Scrub Island. The developers felt after evaluating all those five sites that the Sandy Ground Pond area was the best place – given all the factors involved to have the marina. People are saying just leave them do it somewhere else. But we have to look at what the implications are for all the different sites in that case. If the environmental impact assessment shows that there are going to be some issues that are detrimental to the Sandy Ground area, or to Anguilla in general, then certainly we will not let them [the developers] go forward. We will have to do what is in the best interest of the country. If you tell them to go somewhere else and they do so, and find that there are issues at the other site, then you will have to just keep moving around. At some point we have to make sure that what the developers have chosen is in the best interest of Anguilla and doesn’t hurt the country or its people; and then, I think, we go ahead with it.”
Meanwhile, the Government is giving attention to a number of other proposed projects which Premier Webster has told The Anguillian newspaper about. “There are other things that we are looking at,” he disclosed. “I have spoken to the developers for the Altamer Hotel marina project, but there is some concern. There is a piece of land in that area owned by someone who does not live in Anguilla and has given difficulty with advancing that project. That one is on hold because of that reason.
“There is a project for Scrub Island where the developers are looking at setting up villas. We always know that Scrub Island is a god place to develop. It has a small airport. It has an area where you can develop a marina and villas. So that is another project that we are actually looking at right now.
“There is certainly a need for airport expansion. That is a hot topic because we have told the British Government that we need airport access. Without an [expanded] airport, I think Anguilla will continue to stay stagnant in terms of tourism. We need direct access from the United States, our main market. Right now, the airport needs to be resurfaced otherwise it won’t pass inspection later on in the year. So that is the initial project. But the expansion, close to 7,000 feet, is still to be done once we get the Lake’s land situation at the head of the airport finalised. That is going to the Privy Council, and once that is resolved we will move forward with the airport expansion.
“We also want to do something with the Cinnamon Reef area, now owned by Social Security. We want to make that project happen and there are several options being tendered. One is for a medical tourism complex with a marina and villas – and we are now discussing that project with the developers.
“We are also looking at a deep-sea harbour at Corito, even though a new jetty is being built [at Road Bay]. We thank the British for the money for that, but we oppose that being done down there in Road Bay. We felt it was better to start the deep-sea harbour at Corito. That is something we are looking at because, for the bulk fuel coming in and for other cargo coming in or leaving Anguilla, we feel that Corito is the best place to do a deep water harbour. This is so that Anguilla can become the gateway to the Caribbean and the Americas.”
