IC Meeting on EWE

A Special Island Council meeting has been called for tomorrow (Tuesday) with one issue on the agenda, Emilio Wilson Estate. With Louie Laveist voicing his commendable position today against any commercial development of Wilson estate it seems likely that the Island Council will reafirm its decision of September 2005.

There is one concern, that there may not be enough IC members on island to form a quorum. Considering they have had 3 days notice, considering that they themselves are to blame for the situation reaching where it is is now, we hope those unable to attend have very good reasons.

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It comes as a surprise to me too, to be saying thank you to Louie Laveist, but thanks are in order and deserved. It is not a pass on past history, nor does it mean he will be spared from criticism that might be deserved in the future, but I do hope that his coming out with his support for preserving the property is a sign that I will be able to thank him more often in the future.

I hope his passion will be focused on bringing the govt together with the various foundations on the island who are working to protect and preserve not only our culture and heritage, but our natural heritage too, the environment. I hope that EWE will be the turning point, when the island government fully acknowledges the importance of these aspects of our island, without which the St. Maarten which we all know and love as our home, will fade away.

Below are some photos I received this past weekend from EWE. The first is the press conference held on Friday.

Some bigger pictures here.

Children enjoying the park.

Thanks to the contributor. For more on EWE click here.

Latest news articles below

Emilio Wilson Estate permit denial upheld - 13th July 2007

Laviest - EWE must be preserved - 9th July 2007

Laveist against any commercial development of Wilson estate - 9th July 2007

EWE - The art of doing almost nothing - 7th July 2007

EWE in Limbo - 6th July 2007

Local Hero's blog | add new comment

Submitted by Local Hero on Mon, 2007-07-09 18:00.

The Island Council unanimously moved to place the Emilio Wilson Estate on the monument list yesterday, one of the few times that there was a general consesus between the 2 parties in the Island Council. The IC meeting was not long and drawn out as most are, no bickering and back and forth volley of insults and attacks which are more common in our IC today.

The Emilio Wilson Estate foundation is pleased with this new decision that was taken to deny the Planning Permit and to place the Estate on the list of monuments. The decision states that the ENTIRE estate will placed on the monument list and no development will take place with an exception of road network link 7 and other public facilities or public necessities.

This is where the foundation has questions and reservations. The EWEF has not said much before on the link 7 as we were more concentrating on preserving the estate as a heritage and nature park. The link 7 road network has been on the table for years now and we were very aware of it.

What the foundation was looking forward to hearing yesterday is about zoning the estate as a green and heritage area. Also nothing was mentioned concrete in the IC meeting and in the resolution about firm plans to purchase the estate. We believe that zoning the estate would bring down the purchase price to a non-commercial price that the Island and NGO's can afford.

Also, the Funding agencies are interested in funding this project but would like to see government contribute their part in monies but also in zoning. Placing the estate on the monument list is a good start but we have to look further and make moves to purchase and zone the estate.

The foundation is worried by the wording "public neccessities or public facilities" as we believe that a hospital, a fire station, a school, a police station, a government building of some sort (remember we are going into a new status and country sxm will be needing many more government buildings for Ministers and foreign affairs among other "neccessities"

The foundation envisions that the Estate boasts a museum dedicated to Emilio Wilson, a museum dedicated to John Philips, ( the boiler house and the John Philips house that was destroyed in the 1995 hurricane can be restored to create these museums.) hiking trails, maybe bike paths, recreational activites that have only heritage, environment and culture at heart.

An extensive road network with roundabouts would throw this beautiful Sentry Hillside completly off balance. So while we have achieved a certain degree of victory, we will be bringing up link 7 and this "public neccessities or public facilities" to government.

We have seen several historic homes placed on the monument list only to be burnt down like the Eights family house or torn down like the Wajang doll ginger bread house, these properties have not been rebuilt in the original architecture, I remember clearly Commissioner Roy Marlin saying in a IC meeting years ago that the eights family house would be rebuilt the same after the fire.

Of course the current owner Kenny Babani saw things differently and built instead a modern concrete multi-story building somehow with the approval of the EXCO and the VROM department. The same goes for the Wajang doll ginger bread bread house that was torn down due to termites, the contractor told me that they would rebuild the same way after they have taken down the original house, this again has not happend and some sort of a wooden shack with modern doors now stands in it's place.

I am also questioning if any of the properties listed on the monument list have been approved, has the monument list been approved as a Monument ordinance? if not...... why not?? We have had ample time, if not... why aren't the monument foundation and the monument council more vocal? They could pressure government to move forward with the Monument ordinance, and if I am not mistaken the first lady Angela Richards is on one of the boards. She as first lady can use her connections to move government in the right direction.
The calenders produced every year by the monument foundation are a great awareness item but it has not produced any laws to directly protect any of the monuments so far.

The island council yesterday rejecting the planning permit is a first step, we now have to keep on the right track to zone the estate and purchase the estate as a nature and heritage park. Keep in mind that the Nature Ordinance of 2003 calls for a Natuur Park, een beschermd gebied met een ecologische waarde, een aardkundige waarde,een cultuur historische en een belevings waarde.

Certain IC members should be recognised for their contribution to both IC meetings that have been held on the EWE debate, Maria Buncamper who back in 2005 said she would back saving the estate even if her faction would not do so, George Pantophlet who listened to the foundations and called an urgent IC meeting as we requested, pulling the members out of their summer recess and debated this meeting on his birthday. (July 10th. 2007) Former Island Council woman Gracita Arrindell who also fully backed the groups for preservation of the estate.

While we celebrate victory, we still have a way to go before the people of St.Maarten owns the estate for our heritage, culture and environment.

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Jadira, you state the following:

"What the foundation was looking forward to hearing yesterday is about zoning the estate as a green and heritage area.
Also nothing was mentioned concrete in the IC meeting and in the resolution about firm plans to purchase the estate.
We believe that zoning the estate would bring down the purchase price to a non-commercial price that the Island and NGO's can afford."

Zoning is regulated in the same EROP that was extensively referred to yesterday, and requires a procedure, whereby a plan is developed and put out for the public to inspect, townhall meetings, etcetera. But the crux is in article 18 of the same EROP. It states that if due to zoning the property loses value the Island is to pay the suffered damage (to be established by the court) out of the Island's funds. And I guess that is where the crux is.

And as you rightfully state, the property belongs to someone, and that someone wants to sell. Zoning as envisioned, will negatively influence the price as you also correctly state and as a consequence the island would have to contribute that.

Therefore the Executive Council in its proposal to continue the court case on the basis of the "planning permit procedure" will just keep everything in limbo.

And if you heard correctly yesterday, a list of monuments has been compiled but has never been ratified, and this in the legal sense of the word does not exist. That is why they had to change the resolution yesterday to reflect that it has to go through a procedure.

The only correct thing to happen is that the Island zones, pays the indemnification to the owner and then the owner can sell at a rebate price to EWEF.

I personally found it very strange that the Island Council would make provisions for a road and other needs in the common interest. It is like .......... how to put it, acting as if you are the owner when you are not. And quite honestly a road through the middle of the estate would be terrible.

Getting the property in the name of the Island Territory could mean that in the future if need arises all sorts of construction might take place..........

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I do not know how I missed the last message from anonymous, but thanks for the interesting views and input to this discusssion. Actually I missed some parts of the IC as I listened to parts at home, in the car and finally the last parts in the AC Wathey Legislative hall.
Commissioner Heyliger reading Dutch threw me off as I could not make out what he was saying even if he had barrels of water to clear his throat.
Interesting what you state about the Monument list being compiled, this I know and it has never been ratified, this part I do not understand, why not? what has been taking so long? I appreciate your thoughts about the road, I had not taken that into consideration that they are making provisions for a road network (Link 7) on property that does not belong to them as yet, although I heard that this link 7 will entail that many (I have no idea how many) properties running from St.Peters Hill, through St.Johns, EW estate, way over coming down somewhere by the current Cake House on LB Scot road with roundabouts etc, this should be a very costly affair paying out all those property owners for this link 7.
The home owners of St.Johns had also objected to this link 7 running through their residential area as they feel it will bring their property values down.
I agree with you that if the Island Territory buys the estate without zoning it as a green area, eventhough it is listed on the Monument list could very well mean that in the future all sorts of construction will take place as need arises.
I was at a meeting where Minister Duncan was explaining that with country SXM, we should anticipate that the island will need about 200-300 extra civil servants, that the island will need more offices to accomodate such services as aviation affairs, maritime affairs, foreign affairs, in short many services that are currently being handled by the Central Government.
Do you know or remember if the zoning plan for Fort Amsterdam was done through a series of public information sessions? and town hall meetings? I do not remember this.
Thanks for this dialouge and maybe we can exchange more when you have more time to write.

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Jadira:

You wrote: "Interesting what you state about the Monument list being compiled, this I know and it has never been ratified, this part I do not understand, why not? what has been taking so long?"

For the same reason as not having zoning plans.

Having the Island Council ratifying a "momumentenlijst" and "bestemmingsplannen" has negative financial implications for the Island Territory, and hence they use all sorts of tricks and procedures to stall matters. As long as matters are "in limbo" they can just lean back until someone really starts kicking them in the backsides, like is happening with the EWE situation right now.

Some people make me laugh by the way, if they are not outright ridiculous, like a certain commissioner that is now for over two years, according to his own statement, busy rehabilitating the Belvedere borderpoint, which a good while ago was constructed at considerable cost to the island (NAF.850.000,00) and has just been left to be devastated. It looked bad two years ago, and looks worse today. But hush, don't talk....... Never mind the almighty tourists pass there each and every day cruise-ships are in town.

We talk about environment and how we should safeguard and protect it, but the roads are strewn with green bottles, plastic and card-board boxes from fast food restaurants. Garbage-bins are overflowing. Lifestock is roaming the street and making the mess even bigger.

Then there is the so-called hillside policy, which states that no construction can take place over 200 meters above sea-level. That is zoning in itself, without having followed the prescribed procedure by the EROP and therefore can be considered an "illegal" zoning. Years back the dutch goverment was prepared to provide the island territory with the necessary funds to purchase all hilltops on the island, but hey, due to our "statesmen" with their never ending "myopic" vision, the offer was declined. After all it was easier to do some illegal zoning.

It all boils down to one thing, Jadira: A lot can be done for the good of the island provided the necessary funds are there. That is where the Island Territory is lacking and hence the mess.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

Sherlock

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Here's the report from SMNN. More info and comment tomorrow.

SMNN - Emilio Wilson Estate on Monument List---Island Council - 11th July 2007

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