30/08/2023
GLA’s Response to the generous donation made by The Willie Redhead Foundation:
"The Grenada Land Actors organization welcomes the generous donation and support pledged by the Willie Redhead Foundation (tWRF), a fellow NGO and long-standing champion of the importance of Grenada’s built heritage. This donation will assist with the ongoing costs of GLA’s litigation against the Physical Planning and Development Authority regarding our claim that many of the planning laws have been violated by major tourism facilities currently being constructed in some of the most environmentally sensitive parts of the country. It will also help with GLA’s public awareness campaigns and projects going forward.
We acknowledge and welcome tWRF’s additional focus on Grenada’s natural heritage as well as built heritage as both are integral parts of our Grenadian identity. When we look at the mega-resorts that are tearing down our mangroves, destroying and locking off our beaches and affecting our national species such as the Grenada Dove and the Leatherback turtle, we have to think - are these massive structures what we envision for our future built heritage and for our children? Already such structures have become white elephants and despoil many parts of the country, including our famous Grand Anse beach. Poor planning and a relinquishing of local laws to kowtow to foreign investors (who now claim to be Grenadians with their newly bought CBI passports) mean that these developments are being conducted without any real oversight. Examples are: La Sagesse, where an entire mangrove ecosystem has been destroyed and Levera where large quantities of coastal vegetation have been clear-cut to accommodate a golf course, impinging on Grenada’s only RAMSAR protected wetland. Of particular concern is the extremely poor quality of the Environmental
Impact Assessments (EIAs) that are the prerequisite to approving these, in some cases, billion dollar developments. GLA has had to stand up for Grenadians everywhere and take this important fight to the Courts by challenging the Planning Authority and its processes.
We are heartened to know that since starting our case, other groups have now taken the initiative to challenge the Planning Authority in Court. In what may be an unprecedented situation, the Physical Planning and Development Authority, to GLA’s knowledge, now has at least three simultaneous Judicial Review matters lodged against it – two cases related to unsustainable development in Lance aux Epines and Mt. Hartman, as well as GLA’s own case focusing on Levera, Mt. Hartman and La Sagesse. This is a major red flag that something is wrong with the land development control and planning system, something that the new NDC Government should have jumped to remedy, but does not appear to be diverting from the strategy of the previous administration regarding these developments.
Hence, our Court case soldiers on, however the process is slow, too slow, some would say for a Judicial review matter which is supposed to be given a high priority in the Court system. Much of the Court case so far has been battling interlocutory claims to strike GLA out by saying that we have no legal right to bring such a case, or as the legal term is, no standing. Can you imagine that any citizen of Grenada could not possibly have the right to challenge his or her own Government or Government entity on the administration of the very laws of that Country? If we get to that day, then it will be a very dark day for Grenada, and for the Caribbean. That is why our case is so important and we welcome all Grenadians and Grenadian organizations to support the cause and advocate for much needed change in this area.
The Willie Redhead Foundation will be an important and necessary partner going forward. GLA has, mainly for logistical and financial reasons, only been able to focus on certain large scale examples of unsustainable development happening around the Country. However, it is easy to see that there are many ongoing issues, some of which are related to poor planning or lack of policy or law enforcement and around which much transparency is needed. For example, the “restoration” of Fort George seems to be occurring without much consultation with the public and non -publication of an EIA for a development of such importance to Grenada’s cultural heritage. Historic buildings, such as the Town Hall in St Georges, and the
old post office and library building in Grenville are being demolished without any thought to their historic significance. York House, which tWRF has advocated for continually, still lies in ruins almost 20 years after Hurricane Ivan. Ongoin developments are actively damaging beaches in Sauteurs, La Sagesse and in St. Georges and sand mining continues unchecked, in many parts of Grenada and Carriacou. Most of the country’s protected areas, both marine and terrestrial, are “paper parks” meaning they are protected in name only. Much work and collaboration are needed, from the NGOs and civil society, community groups as well as local Government.
GLA looks forward to collaboration with The Willie Redhead Foundation on advocating for the preservation of Grenada’s natural and cultural heritage and we heartily thank them for this very public and transparent show of support for a significant public cause."
