Leader of the St Vincent and the Grenadines opposition party Godwin Friday, is calling on the government to halt the proposed quarry project in Richmond.
Friday said the halting of the project should be done until fundamental questions are answered by the government.
Friday following a visit to North Leeward where the project is located said important issues are yet to be resolved.
“It is simply unacceptable to sell Vincentian lands for “pennies” and then secretly begin work, without consulting the local community who face all of the downsides like the devastating impact on local tourism, noise, dust, flooding risk and possible explosives.”
Friday is calling for full disclosure and transparency in this matter as the country and the people of North Leeward do not appear to be the biggest winners in what the opposition described as a shady arrangement.
St Vincent’s Minister of Urban Development Julian Francis on Thursday 10 said the Richmond Quarry will not encroach on Richmond Beach, except in the area where a jetty/pier is being built close to Cavali Rock, which is south of the river mouth.
Francis said Rayneau Construction Limited will have to ensure ecosystems and restoration effects at a scale equivalent to any damage done and along with monitoring of nearshore ecosystem.
Francis told the media unlike what they have heard from the Opposition party, no residential properties are located in the proposed quarry area.
The Minister said a preliminary compensation figure of 200,000 dollars has been arrived at to share between the farmers who are active and will be affected by the quarry operations.
In 2008 an Environmental Impact Assessment was done for another potential investor at Richmond, but that arrangement did not happen, however, an approved site for quarrying remained.
Francis stated that Rayneau has leased 12 lots, 58.88 acres which will cost $12,000 per year. He says government will receive two dollars per tonne for every tonne crushed/produced/Exported.
Rayneau Gadjadhar has a leasehold for 30 years and has made an investment of 30 million dollars in the first instance. The project will start with 30 workers and could climb to 250.
St Vincent and the Grenadines has been importing aggregate since 2001.
