The board of the Emilio Wilson Estate Foundation (EWEF) has taken notice of Minister Lake’s recent statements in the local media indicating that the Minister has been "been diligently working with colleague Ministers to complete the process for the purchasing of the Emilio Wilson Estate for the people of the country".
The EWEF is pleased to learn that progress is being made regarding the purchase of the Estate. The Foundation however cautions Minister Lake that purchasing the Emilio Wilson Estate only to turn around and handover the people’s patrimony to Rain Forest Adventures, Carnival Cruise Lines and the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) can in no way be considered in the best interest of the People of St. Maarten.
Many countries throughout the Caribbean and the rest of the world have established protected areas which are either managed by a Government Ministry or in partnership with local Natural and Cultural Heritage organizations.
Sint Maarten Foundations such as the Heritage Foundation, Sint Maarten Archaeological Centre (SIMARC), Emilio Wilson Estate Foundation (EWEF), St. Maarten Pride Foundation, the Emilio Wilson Historical and Cultural Park Foundation and the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) have been involved in efforts to protect the Emilio Wilson Estate and are the local centers of expertise in the management of Natural and Cultural Heritage.
Contracts between government and a partnership of local Natural and Cultural Heritage organizations regarding the establishment of the Emilio Wilson Estate as a National Park and the subsequent management of the Estate upon Government obtaining ownership were prepared and finalized accordingly in April and May of 2013.
It surprises and disappoints the EWEF that this current Government is completely ignoring the commitments made to the general public to purchase the Estate for the people and is attempting to disregard contracts made with qualified local heritage organizations regarding the management of the Emilio Wilson Estate. The Foundation is left to wonder why Government would choose to jeopardize the wellbeing of Sint Maarten’s Heritage by making arrangements to hand the Emilio Wilson Estate over to a foreign company focused on mass commercialization rather than on sound and sustainable heritage management.
The Foundation questions whether the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) has such a high level of influence on Government that commitments to and in the best interest of the people are disregarded in favor of the business interests of the Cruise Line Industry.
The Emilio Wilson Estate Foundation (EWEF) was established in 2005 to give voice and structure to the overwhelming outcry of opposition amongst the population to plans for development on the pristine and historic Emilio Wilson Estate. The Foundation is dedicated to the protection of the entire Emilio Wilson Estate and all associated man-made as well as natural monuments.
The Emilio Wilson Estate Foundation once again urges Government to pursue all possible legal and financial means necessary to realize its commitment to the people of St. Maarten to secure the Emilio Wilson Estate as the Island’s first land-based protected area and National Park managed by the people for the people.
Emilio Wilson Estate Foundation