Beach Bar owner being
forced to close business
– Lawyer says it’s trespassing –
DAWN BEACH--Ms. B’s Island Spot owner Joan Verwoord says the developer of Coral Beach condominiums is forcing her to abandon the area on Dawn Beach where she has been operating a small restaurant and beach chair and umbrella rental business for the past five years.
However, attorney for Coral Beach Eric de Vries told The Daily Herald that, according to his client’s certificate of admeasurement, Verwoord was occupying his client’s land without permission and legal action had been taken to remove her. The court case is expected to be called next week, he added. “We believe that she is operating within our boundaries and doing so without permission.”
Speaking to reporters at Ms. B’s on Wednesday, Verwoord said the developers had taken her to court last year May to force her to vacate the area, which she claimed is rightfully hers as she has a permit, but failed to show up in court on the appointed date.
The land Ms. B’s occupies is on the public beach and was staked out by the Island Government, she stated. “The developer claims that he owns the land, the beach in front of it and the water also.”
This claim of the developer has been checked out by Verwoord’s attorney. From this enquiry, it was noticed that there was “something fishy” with the certificate of admeasurement, as the developer cannot own the public beach or the shoreline in front of the land in question, she stated.
Verwoord said that as a follow-up to the failed court case, she had received a letter from the developer that claimed he had “good ground to remove her from the location” and was willing to agree to an out-of-court settlement.”
“I believe that this is just a scare tactic to get me to agree to move. For the past year, the developer has been looking at how my business has been operating on the beach and has probably realised how well it is going, so he wants to start a restaurant of his own,” she remarked.
Verwoord has removed large quantity garbage from the area over the years, to beautify it. “Now that it is shining, they want to claim it.”
“I am being harassed everyday. Government is aware of the situation, but nothing is being done.”
She is calling to the Island Government not to continue to allow “foreign investors to come to the island and take away all of the rights and forget about the local businesses. We only have the beach left now. Tourists don’t want to see only big structures and buy overpriced drinks. These things are taking way the island touch. There should be a policy to ensure that only local persons are allowed to operate beach chair and umbrella rentals on the beach.”
Coming to the aid of the local businesswoman, National Alliance Island Councilman and fellow businessman Frans Richardson visited Ms. B’s on Wednesday to listen to her grievances. He told the press, “Government needs to step up to the plate and take time to put a business policy in place to protect local businesses. It is time this bullying of our young business persons is stopped, as many local persons are being forced out of their businesses on the island.”
He challenged Economic Affairs and Tourism Commissioner Theo Heyliger to work more in the favour of the local business community, especially young entrepreneurs.
He added that “serious investigation” was needed to probe to the developer’s claim of owning the beach in front of his property as well as the water.
Richardson said he had a group of persons brainstorming how to improve the present policies and make them better for local businesses to survive. His plan is to table changes in the Island Council in the coming months.
St Maarten Apartment for vacation rental
