PHILIPSBURG--The Island Council admitted an appeal against a fictitious denial of a revision to a planning permit requested by Duck International Limited (Coral Beach Club) and ruled after that the appeal was groundless, because the company had already submitted a permit request that nullified the pending revision.

Questioned why the matter was urgent and why the matter had reached to court by opposition Democratic Party leader Councilwoman Sarah Wescot-Williams, Public Works Commissioner William Marlin said the Oyster Pond based company started the case based on the fact it did not receive an answer from government in the allotted time under the law and filed the appeal on the grounds of "fictitious denial."

He explained the decision of the Executive Council and the correspondence of the company "crossed" each other, resulting in the untimely delivery of rendered decisions.

Marlin had originally presented a proposal for the island council to deem the appeal "inadmissible." However, Wescot-Williams pointed out the procedure should be that the appeal had to first be admitted by the council and then based on the circumstances deem it "groundless."

That adaption, as pointed out, was made by the National Alliance -led coalition and the council proceeded with voting on the amended proposal to close off the last agenda point of the urgent meeting called specifically for the approval of the final organic law that deals with government's finances/budget.