Opposition Leader Ralph Gonsalves has raised serious concerns regarding ongoing sand mining activities at the Wallilabou River in North Leeward, which he states are being conducted to supply materials for the reconstruction of a golf course in Canouan.
Speaking out against what he described as a glaring lack of transparency, Gonsalves emphasized that the private developers in Canouan are not the ones physically mining the river. Instead, the extraction is being carried out by the state agency BRAGSA. Gonsalves noted that BRAGSA’s management could not have put heavy equipment like bulldozers into the river without the explicit approval and directive of the Minister of Works and the Cabinet.
Gonsalves challenged the government to prove that proper protocols are being followed. He questioned whether comprehensive environmental and social impact studies were conducted before the mining began. Furthermore, he publicly asked if the Physical Planning Board had formally considered the project, or if the Cabinet had bypassed standard regulations by waving physical planning permission for the operation.
Beyond the potential environmental damage, Gonsalves demanded financial accountability from the state. He called on the administration to disclose the exact quantity of sand being extracted and the price at which BRAGSA is selling the material to the Canouan developers, asking pointedly if the state agency is “selling for peanuts”. He contrasted this current secrecy with a previous sand mining project at Argyle, where the government transparently published the quantity to be mined, the $20 million value, and the environmental studies.
The Opposition Leader was careful not to cast blame on the Canouan developers mentioning figures like Pinataro and Desmond or the management of BRAGSA, suggesting that they likely want to do things by the book. Instead, he placed the ultimate responsibility on the Minister of Works and the Cabinet, asserting that they “clearly don’t want to do it right” and are ultimately making the situation difficult for the developers by failing to follow proper state procedures.
Gonsalves concluded his critique by condemning the administration’s “sound of silence” on the Wallilabou River mining, grouping it with other critical national issues where the government is failing to communicate with the public.