SXM- Pride Press statement regarding William Marlin's housing plans 26-01-10

SXM Pride - While St. Maarten Pride Foundation understands and agrees with Commissioner William Marlin that there is a need for affordable housing, the foundation advocates that any and all development should respect St. Maarten’s Natural and Cultural Heritage and take place in a sustainable manner.

Recent reports indicating Commissioner William Marlin’s plans to fill-in areas of the Great Salt Pond for what he estimates to be 200 homes are therefore a source of serious concern.

Click here to Read More

Pride foundation argues that the much debated Ring-road project, which is currently in its construction phase, will in itself have drastic consequences for the surrounding areas as excess run-off water will lead to additional flooding of the already overburdened districts adjacent to the pond. Creating more land for housing by filling-in additional areas of the Great Salt Pond will lead to a further reduction of the Pond’s already diminished water retention capacity and could potentially lead to disastrous flooding of not only the proposed houses but the entire Greater Philipsburg area and is therefore extremely irresponsible.

Most Scientists agree that global warming is already leading to significant and in some cases severe rising of sea levels causing islands such as St. Maarten to gradually lose low laying coastal areas and placing them at increased risk of damage from hurricanes. Countries all over the world are taking measures to secure coastlines and increase water retention capacity, by for example protecting coral reefs, mangrove communities, sand banks, beaches, ponds and other shorelines.

St. Maarten’s successive governments and in particular Commissioners in charge of Planning, Environment and Spatial development (R.O.B) have however refused to follow this international trend and often support and in many cases commission projects (such as the destruction of Dawn Beach and the dredging for- and construction of the Ring Road) which not only destroy the island’s Natural and Cultural heritage but also increase St. Maarten’s vulnerability to natural disasters and the effects of Global warming.

St. Maarten Pride Foundation maintains its position that the Ring Road project is an unsustainable, unnecessary project with potentially disastrous consequences whereby the safety and well-being of St. Maarten’s residents and their homes have not been taken into consideration. Any additional filling-in of the Great Salt Pond will only compound matters and set the stage for natural disasters which will make Hurricanes Luis and the flooding of Hurricane Lenny look insignificant and diminutive by comparison.