Scrub Island
SCRUB ISLAND UPDATE March 5th, 2008
We received a covering letter with a report today on SCRUB Island. The covering letter says "The fact that Scrub Island is polluting the water between Scrub and Camanoe with sewage seems inexcusable. I know that one of the critical issues in the EIA was that the marina site is directly across from the Cam Bay National Park and close to the reef/mangrove/seagrass system there. It is also close to Diamond Key dive site and the whole Marina Cay ecosystem. I understand that this sewage problem has continued for over a month now and that despite the claims that it stems from a leaking septic tank, VIPM has actually had the septic tank bypassed and is letting the sewage flow directly down to the dock area. Isn't this grounds to stop the project until they remedy the problem? Why isn't Amy Dempsey monitoring coliform levels? How can VIPM have let the problem continue for so long that there are now obvious changes in the marine environment? And if they can't build a reliable septic tank for the few people who are living there now, how can we trust them to put the necessary technological controls in place to prevent pollution in the marina? We need to be very skeptical about the environmental promises that developers are making, especially when they promise high tech solutions for which we do not have local expertise to operate and maintain. This is amplifying the need for the mechanism with the Environmental Bond / Insurance to be fine tuned." This is very disturbing news, especially when you read it along with the WEEKLY REPORT ON SCRUB ISLAND HERE.
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Last week of Feb 2008
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Pictures of Scrub Island taken June 9th, 2007
A Shadow of things to Come?
I read with some interest the article on page 5 of the May 3rd Beacon titled "Scrub Island issued compliance letter". According to the article, the developers are being held responsible for carrying out "unauthorized development." The unauthorized development included creating a barge landing ramp, constructing a breakwater, dredging and a "lack of environmental management".
The first three are disturbing enough but the fourth point, that of lack of environmental management, is the one that really got my attention.. In my 25 years as a professional SCUBA tour guide here in the BVI I have witnessed a massive urchin die off, the demise of almost all of our large grouper and the recent coral bleaching event. We should be trying to help the environment rather than hurting it.
Now, it seems as if the government of the BVI is allowing Beef Island to be developed into a Mega Yacht Marina/ Hotel/ Golf course. Guess who will be managing the environemtal aspects of this project? The same company that has been doing unauthorized development at Scrub Island - ATM Applied Technology & Management! Here the development has been going on for months and only now is Town and Country Planning saying “the current environmental management is not qualified to carry out the environmental aspects of the project”! Remember now that this IS THE SAME COMPANY doing the environmental management for the proposed development on Beef Island. Only this time the affected area will be Hans Creek. Hans Creek is so vital to the ecology of the territory that it has been declared a Fisheries Protected Area. The government proposes to let ATM manage this vital area? The penalty for any breach of environmental management would be a maximum of $50,000. Hans Creek can never be replaced! Not for $50 million dollars. Once this area is destroyed it will be gone forever and with it the most important fishery in the BVI.
What will we tell our grandchildren when they ask what we were doing when Hans Creek was destroyed? Will we say we thought it was not going to happen?
All we have to do is look at what is going on at Scrub. The time has come for all concerned citizens of the territory to rise up and add their voices to prevent this travesty. Write to your representatives and request a court injunction to stop the Beef Island project before it is too late.
Randy Kiel
BVI beacon article on Scrub Island compliance
Scrub Island developers received a letter last weekend stating that they will need to follow several planning department recommendations in order to proceed with construction works without being fined. In a compliance notice signed by Chief Planner Louis Potter, the development is held "responsible for carrying out unauthorised development at property situated at Scrub Island" under the Physical Planning Act of 2004. The "breach" includes "the construction of a temporary barge ramp, the construction of a breakwater and dredging for the marina, and lack of adequate environmental management."
The Main Sail Development Group has been overseeing the construction of a $70-million dollar boutique, luxury villa and marina resort on the 230-acre island.
One of the Environmental Impact Assessment recommendations was to relocate any corals that might be impacted during the marina’s construction. For the process, government asked Virgin Islands Project Manager, who acts for the developer, to hire an expert on coral and sea grass mitigation. The company selected Applied Technology Management, which also carried out the EIA’s for the Beef Island and Scrub Island developments.
But the compliance letter states that due to the "extent of marine and terrestrial environmental components" — including coral and seagrass transplanting, coastal engineering, and bird and plant relocation — "the current environmental management is not qualified to carry out all the environmental aspects of the project."
In order to address this issue, an environmental team that includes experts in marine, terrestrial and coastal engineering components must be established, according to the letter. The names and qualifications of the team members must be submitted to the planning authority, the Environmental Committee and the Conservation and Fisheries Department for approval.
According to the notice, failure to remedy the breach would constitute an offence liable to summary conviction of $25,000 and, on indictment, to a fine not exceeding $50,000. On second offence the parties responsible would be fined up to $100,000.
"We have no issues with the compliance letter," Jonathan McCarthy, the VIPM project manager, said Tuesday. "We’ve had a positive dialogue with the government and we’re pleased that the government is monitoring our job."
Here are some before and during pictures of the construction at Scrub Island
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