Marine Ordinance, Zoning and Water Testing

The SXM Nature Foundation was started 11 years ago and one of their primary missions was to establish a protected marine park. Statia Marine Park was also started in 1997 and late last year their Marine Park celebrated it's 10 year anniversary, while SXM awaits the Exco. And waits, and waits...

The marine park ordinance and many other environmental legislation has always been put to the back burner of government. There is also no zoning, back in 1976 the Fed Govt. told every island to start with zoning plans, SXM never started and we are where we are today. The only land that has zoning is Fort Amsterdam, a last minute effort to halt the owners from further developing their land which they bought from the Claude Wathey government. Which shows it can be done, regardless if the land is privately owned. (Like EWE.)

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People seem to think I and other readers pick on Roy Marlin, but the sad truth of it is that just about every environmental mess leads back to him and his failures as 'Commissioner of the Environment". The Marine Park Ordinance is a classic example.

Back in late November of 2006 the MPO final draft we presented to the IC and Exco, which then decided that they needed more input from local fishermen. Remember of course that this was just a few months before the IC Elections.

Roy took his time of course, promising to meet them, but not until after a public meeting had been held. Perhaps the fishermen didn't turn up because they felt slighted? Or maybe they just didn't know, like the rest of the public. There was no announcement about any 'public hearing' that I know of.

Anyway, thats the last time we really heard about it, the Nature Foundation occasionally reminds us, but nothing from govt is heard, at least nothing has been mentioned in our daily papers.

The truth is that we have a government that just doesn't care about the environment at all, the Blue Flag issue and unanswered appeal to Theo by Epic was a clear example of their indifference, EPIC was finally endorsed and approved by the minister in Curacao. And it should be repeated that until we have a government and commissioners that really understand, care and are committed to not only protecting what is left of SXM's natural environment, but also cleaning up some of the rest, then the people will not care either.

The results are....

Today Editorial - Coliform - 27th February 2008

EPIC to release lagoon pollution results - 27th February 2008

Coliform Bacteria high, swimmers urged to beware - 3rd January 2008

SXM PE Lagoon Awareness Video - Oct 2006