PM Says Reports Of Mangrove Removal Are Misleading

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Mangrove
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has responded to concern made by Chief Environment Officer Diann Black-Layne regarding the YIDA project at Crabbs.

Speaking on Pointe FM over the weekend Browne dismissed the statements made by the islands senior environmental officer saying they were untrue.


Black-Layne said recently that the Cabinet has chosen to override several recommendations made by the Department of the Environment as it pertains to the YIDA development.

The prime minister and a team including cabinet ministers visited the area recently.

“What we observe with the clearing at Crabbs, YIDA was careful to put some rocks on the coastline and this was to create a buffer to prevent the topsoil from washing into the sea”.

Browne says while steps were taken to prevent soil erosion, not a single mangrove was uprooted.

“Right around the perimeter, you see a significant amount of stone and all in type materials to create retention. None of the water base mangroves was removed, they’re still intact.”

Browne alluded to an agreement for YIDA to remove a portion of the water based mangroves to create two beaches for two beach hotels;

“We have agreed that in some cases there will be some limited removal of mangroves to create about two beaches, that is to facilitate the construction of two beach hotels. YIDA has agreed to replant the mangroves.”

According to Browne, a greenhouse will be created to grow mangroves and other plants in the area.

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11 COMMENTS

  2. You think when you took the jumby money life would be easy. Yida can do as they like it’s a country within a country. No laws, No taxes, the new Chinatown with a gun factory. What has happen to that guitar from Hard Rock Café? Guess junior is enjoying it.

  3. The trouble with that little jaunt is you don’t understand what you are looking at or how wave action affects shore erosion. Those rocks are irrelevant and the mangrove loss is catastrophic. Dumb and dumber. Listen to Ms. Black-Layne, she knows and gave good advice against this nonsense. YIDA contract should be torn up, shredded, set fire to, dissolved and let them sue. Good luck to them. Whatever money pass, keep it and move on.

  4. Did the PM not recently state that the people of Antigua criticising mangrove removal seem to know more about the environment than the Environment Division and Fisheries? Now that the same Environmental Division has come out, he is saying they don’t know what they are talking about either? I guess if it does not come out of the mouth of Gaston Browne, it is not true. Black Trump!!

  5. Knight why are you soooo rude to our Prime Minister ? Knight Antigua is an Island . Please tell where along the coast can you develop without destroying some mangroves? You are a very UNREASONABLE Person. You are destroying the Observer brand. Hope the Management of Observer will come to Their senses. You never supported anything the ABLP does. I must commend You what you said a few weeks ago about the New UPP SLATE….” OLD WINE IN A BROKEN BOTTLE “

  6. It really is dumbfounding that the PM would actually make the comments above on radio. YIDA has not even settled the court case against him for US$5.4million commission and was the land ever paid for in full is questionable. No thinking person is going to believe any nonsense about two hotels, two beaches and a greenhouse. In five years all YIDA has done is not pay the first contractor who sold his equipment and left, not pay locals for services rendered and methodically destroyed all the lands on the northeast by turning them into dust deserts and massacred protected mangrove trees as part and parcel to the process. The “steel factory” is a prefab joke and the prefab buildings with miniscule space are a hideous blot on the landscape. No Westerner is ever going to invest in that project or step foot on it far less. However, they may well stop coming here because we have a destroyed environment with a Chinese colony. It is not difficult to estimate that the total expenditure for the last five years would be in the region of two hundred thousand; just a tad short of the promised billion. None of even that pittance has gone into the Antiguan economy. The YIDA project comes over as unscrupulous and desperate speculating and should be shut down before any more damage is done to the country and costs us our tourist industry.

  7. What a fool . Why would you want to replant mangroves? Nothing happen over there ,the people are been misled. Fool may be talking but not all fools listening.

  8. Johnny Harris !! You serious? …….. Some people just suck up everything that the “PM” says ! STOP AND THINK FOR YOURSELF !!!

  10. Oh my, oh my! For real?
    Those who are blind can see, so let those who can see , decide…
    Remember, respect is earned … and distrust by …
    The world is watching and listening. More so those whom we are trying to impress with climate changed stories.

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