Dear Editor,
Time has gone by so quickly, it seems like I only just sent you my letter of April, 2010 titled "So bright by beach and Strand", "St. Maarten’s environmental challenges symptoms of larger problem" on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Earth day which coincided with St. Maarten Pride Foundation’s 10th anniversary.
Please allow me to revisit the topic of St. Maarten’s environment, progress made during these past months and matters which continue to require urgent attention.
St. Maarten and Anguilla are only separated by a few short miles of ocean yet there seems to be an enormous difference in the islands’ governments’ visions for the future. Anguilla has obviously made its share of questionable choices with the manner of development of some tourism related facilities in recent years, yet during the past few months both Anguilla’s Government and private sector but particularly the Angullian Department of Environment or DOE have launched a number of commendable Environmental initiatives.
The Department’s website, which is definitely worth a look, presents their slogan "promoting progress through sustainable practices in Anguilla and the wider region" (http://gov.ai/doenvironment/). Sustainable practices seek to integrate and balance environmental and ecological concerns with socio-economic ones with the purpose of ensuring sustainable development. Sustainable development is defined as "(Economic) development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". (Our Common future, The World Commission on Environment and Development; The Brundtland Commission)
On St. Maarten our Natural heritage tends to be bulldozed in the name of progress. The Angullian Department of Environment’s slogan, in itself, thus presents a concept that we as St. Maarteners and our decision-makers in particular can learn from; progress through sustainable practices.
According to The Anguillian of April 8th 2011 "the health Authority of Anguilla is expected to realize significant savings in electricity costs, thanks to the corporate citizenship assistance of ANGLEC (The Anguilla Electricity Company) which has contributed EC$60,000 to the institution towards a renewable energy project". Perhaps equally interesting is that ANGLEC’s Chief Executive officer Mr. Thomas Hodge stated that "Integrating renewable energy with fossil fuels, to the eventual independence from fossil fuels, is the only sustainable solution… …". Not necessarily something you would expect to hear from someone who manages an electricity company.
Recent reports also indicate that amongst a number of other impressive initiatives Anguilla is drafting a Climate Change Policy and (re-)implementing anti-littering legislation. It should also be noted that Anguilla has established a number of terrestrial and marine protected areas.
I do not pretend to have detailed knowledge of all the environmental issues our Northern Neighbors are faced with, I am merely pointing out that Anguilla is implementing legislation and carrying-out projects we on St. Maarten should make an effort to learn from. Perhaps Anguilla has learned from past mistakes and has taken note of the warnings issued by the National Geographic Traveler Magazine of December 2009 in which St. Maarten is categorized as an example of what to avoid in (tourism) development.
Thankfully it is not all doom and gloom where the environmental movement on St. Maarten is concerned. In December of last year the Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Mr. Franklin Meyers approved the establishment of the Man of War Shoal Marine Park, St. Maarten’s first officially protected area.
EPIC’s partnership with the Tourist Bureau, the support of Minister Meyers and his predecessor former Commissioner Frans Richardson has allowed for the launching of the Blue Flag eco-label pilot phase at Divi Little Bay, with other locations not far behind.
Cross-sector and public support of EPIC’s Simpson Bay Lagoon Sewage Pump-out boat and environmental education fundraising activities in recent months has raised a considerable amount of funds and other donations, setting a much welcomed precedent of partnerships towards sustainable development on the island.
There is, however, much left to be done where the proper management and protection of St. Maarten’s environment or Natural Heritage is concerned. Government has yet to implement zoning-plans, update existing and introduce new environmental legislation, provide for proper sewage and solid waste management infrastructure and facilities, establish protected areas (such as the Emilio Wilson Estate) and the list goes on. In the meantime our neighbors in Anguilla, even closer to home, our brothers and sisters in French St. Martin are leaving us far behind when it comes to the protection of the environment and thereby taking measures to improve the "quality of life" for current and future generations.
St. Maarten’s Government needs to address these matters. As I have said before there is no quick fix to the island’s environmental challenges but there are relatively simple measures government can take which would have almost immediate benefits. One such measure would be to finally ban the Plastic Bag. June 5th is World Environment Day, call me optimistic but I’m hoping someone in parliament will wake up and surprise us all with a motion to implement relevant legislation before then.
Rueben J. Thompson
Independent Project Manager
Love the Lagoon
Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC)
Vice- President
St. Maarten Pride Foundation