There is public outcry over an application submitted by Raffique Dunbar to the Physical Planning and Development Board to remove coral reefs at Indian Bay.
According to the application, the corals would be replaced with artificial ones. Dunbar made the application on behalf of La Vue, formerly Grand View hotel.
According to documents lodged with the PPDB, the beach on the western side of Indian Bay below La Vue development is less than 20 feet wide, with waters consisting mainly of dead coral covered in algae.
Owner of Dive St Vincent Calvert Richards told News784 on Monday that all of the corals’ persons would have seen in photos on social media are alive.
“Over 95 percent of the corals are alive; we cleaned the whole area from Great Head Bay to the Blue Lagoon over a year ago”.
“It is sad what’s taking place; the area where developers want to remove corals from one of our major dive areas,” Richards told this publication that some of the creates around the area are unique.
Richards said he understands that a private jetty will be placed in the beachfront for the investor’s personal use.
When News784 spoke with La Vue investor Adam Adam, he told this publication he was disappointed with the rumors being peddled.
“Not in a million years would any investor of this project think or plan to remove live coral reef; I invite anyone to come and see, what is close to the shoreline is dead coral. We have hired marine biologists to come and see the area; they took several pictures at different times when the corals were exposed, and they are not live reef”.
Adam said the photos that have been circulating on social media are misinformation.
“The pictures you see are the not area where we will place an artificial reef; it is far from where we are planning on doing the cleaning.”
When asked if a jetty will be placed where the dead carol reef will be removed, Adam said this is misinformation.
“That’s not true; this is a very shallow area to even put a jetty; yes, in the future, we are planning to construct one on the other side of the property.”
“The application is available for the public to view, the proposed plan, the areas to be cleaned, and the additional X-blocks to protect what we are doing. The X- blocks would be placed behind the artificial reef to protect it and also the deterioration of the shoreline”.
“I just want to say where we would be cleaning, no one can swim or even dive there, so it’s clear the photos that are circulating did not originate from where we plan to work.”
An environmental impact assessment study which was done and submitted to the PPDB on behalf of La Vue by Krystle Francis, stated the area of excavation as 350 feet long and extending 100-150 feet seaward. The scope of works is expected to be confined to 17,500 sq ft.
The document also showed that there would be the placement of imported sand on the beachfront, which is being eroded by wave action.
According to the submitted document, the main objective of the works is to increase beach width and promote and re-growth of the marine ecosystem.
None of the documents submitted to the PPDB that News784 inspected did not indicate the construction of a jetty within the proposed work area or otherwise.
The document is waiting for the approval or disapproval of the Physical Planning Development Board, and persons have 14 days within which they can inspect and make objections.
Lawyer Vynnette Fredrick commenting on a post made by Nadia Huggins says she took the liberty of making a collage of the photographs taken by Nadia Huggins on July 4, 2021, and placed it with her objection letter for the attention of the Planning Development Board.
News784 understands that an addendum would be added to the public notice to reflect the word ‘Dead’ referring to the coral, an omission for which the PPDB says they take full responsibility.
