St. Maarten Private Eye

SXM News Network

Philipsburg: - Eight of the eleven members of the island council presently on St. Maarten unanimously agreed to stick to the decision of the executive council of June 23rd to deny the a Emilio Estate B.V a building permit to construct 200 homes at the Emilio Wilson Estate “Golden Rock and Industry Estate.

The decision were taken at a special island council meeting held yesterday to deal with the Emilio Wilson Estate saga after the court of First Instance on June 12 ordered the island council to take a decision within 30days.

The island council also decided unanimously to place the historical and cultural park on St. Maarten’s monument list. Emilio Wilson Estate consists of some 93 acres of land located on St. Peters Road.

The only concern of the Emilio Wilson Foundation and other environmental groups present at the island council meeting is the last article, which said that there must be some reservations when it comes to public interest. In this regard, all decisions taken must go through the island council.

In an invited comment President of the St. Maarten Pride Foundation Jadira Veen said that she would be asking for more details with regards to the term ‘public interest” because public interest she said can mean a school, hospital or even the a road network.

Also sharing his concern is president of the Emilio Wilson Foundation Ruben Thompson who said that for now he is happy with the decisions taken by the island council. Thompson said that whatever ‘public interest means” would have to be brought to the island council and he will deal with the matter when it gets there. Despite the good decision, Thompson said that he wants to know more on what is the term public interest. However, he said the foundations would fight to make sure the park is fully preserved and not destroyed for any types of development.

Also sharing concerns is island council member Rudolph Samuel who said that the opening is not as bad as it may sound but provisions have to left for the link 7 road network. A project he said submitted by the National Alliance.

Samuel said that he is indeed happy with the decisions taken by the council because in the beginning the executive council did not stipulate they would add the park to the monument list. “With the decisions taken today, the St. Maarten people and future generation will have somewhere that is preserved for them,” Samuel, said.

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