St. Maarten residents annoyed
about change in boatyard layout
St. Maarten, COLE BAY--Changes to the layout of the new Bobby’s Marina boatyard in Cole Bay have residents angry at owner Bobby Velasquez, who they say has made the changes without consulting them and without the required care for the environment.
From its inception, residents of the area have protested against the new boatyard. They view the project as the industrialising of their neighbourhood and a potential environmental hazard linked to the products that will be used in the daily operations to clean, repair and maintain boats.
Velasquez, who is off island, could not be reached for a comment on the claims of the residents and whether the layout of the Cole Bay boatyard has been changed unilaterally.
Residents, especially those of Koolbaai Villas which borders the boatyard that is under construction, claim that areas of the property are being filled in and others are being dredged to make it possible for boats to access.
They also claim that the latest plan differs significantly from the original plans outlined to the public in 2004. For example, the locations of the two finger piers have been changed.
A resident who wished to remain anonymous said it appeared that “the entire width of the property is being filled in,” not just the area needed for the pier. “My conclusion is that he is just filling in to create more land.”
The government access road (just off Wellington Road) to the boatyard was built higher than the area surrounding it, compounding the likelihood of flooding in an area already plagued by water issues, said the resident.
On the environmental front, the filling-in of the property has damaged the habitat of the birds and other creatures that lived in the mangroves that were removed in preparation for construction, the resident added.
Velasquez has promised residents and environmental groups that he will replant the mangroves and maintain them once construction is completed.
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