Clearing of mangroves underway in VG!
Virgin Islands News Online had broken the news on February 5, 2016 that the mangroves were to be cleared and the pond, the last remaining in the area, was to be filled the following day. After our first and accurate story, however, the project was put on hold.
Concerned residents had declared they were prepared to stand in front of the backhoe in protest.
Virgin Islands News Online was, however, informed this morning February 23, 2016 that the mangroves were being cleared from a piece of land adjacent to Fisher’s Cove.
Caught off guard?
“Everyone is at work so I guess that was the strategy. Most persons work in Tortola,” said a disappointed resident of Virgin Gorda.
The resident also alleged that government officials had promised to meet with them on the issue but they never came. “Like I mentioned before, the neglect of Virgin Gorda is evident.”
What if it was Sir Branson?
One of the concerned persons also accused Government of not paying any serious attention to environmental issues once raised by locals.
“It is also my opinion if Richard Branson or Larry Page wanted to save them the government would jump on the opportunity to stop it. The local people do not matter to this government. They need to develop in harmony with the environment not destroy it,” The frustrated Virgin Gordian told Virgin Islands News Online.
Our newsroom spoke to Acting Chief Conservation and Fisheries Officer Mr Kevin Penn who said Conservation and Fisheries Department (C&FD) and Town and Country Planning (TCP) both gave approval for the work to go ahead.
“We are monitoring it. We will have someone over there. We were there before trying to make sure that certain mangroves will be saved. We will not fill in all of the pond, some of it is going to remain,” Mr Penn said.
A concerned resident had told our newsroom on February 5, 2016 that they were not sure what the developers are going to do with the area they are trying to reclaim but said persons are of the strong view that the pond and mangroves should be preserved. “They can build or whatever with the environment in mind.”
The resident also argued that a lot of people have made mistakes in the past as it relates to the destruction of the environment in the name of development because they did not know better.
“But now that we know and the technology is there and the information is there do we destroy the last bit? There are birds that migrate to that pond every year. So it is much more than persons just saying we want to save the last pond. It is a lot more than that.”
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28 Responses to “Clearing of mangroves underway in VG!”
Since when locals give a sh*t about the environment? Look around Tortola and outer islands and see how many patches of seawater and mangroves being filled in just due to greed!
NO ONE from Conservation is there monitoring. We in trouble in the BVI
If they are going to build around it, they might save that natural part of the pond and the mangroves.
Just sit back and see.