Prosecutor’s Office backs
Love the Lagoon project
~ Will clamp down on businesses that don’t cooperate ~
SIMPSON BAY/St. Maarten--The Prosecutor’s Office has thrown its full support behind the Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) Clean Marinas/Good Mate programme for Simpson Bay Lagoon.
Environmental Affairs Prosecutor Paul Mooij said the office will clamp down on businesses that fail to cooperate with the initiative.
The one-year project called, “Love the Lagoon” was launched earlier this month.
It addresses Simpson Bay Lagoon’s pollution problems through educational programmes and non-governmental organisations, marinas and boater participation.
The clean marinas aspect aims to build partnerships with the various marinas operating in the lagoon and the yachting community to increase awareness of the ecological importance of the lagoon and to create involvement in correcting water pollution problems.
Said Mooij, “It’s an important project and we’re going to support it. The cooperation is requested of everyone to make it a success. Everyone knows that running sewage water in the lagoon is not permitted and we have a clear indication that this is happening around the lagoon, but up to now we’ve not been able to pay more attention to it.”
He said businesses that are in violation of the law and fail to cooperate with the initiative will be taken to court. “The idea is that during the project if there are any real bottlenecks, we will step in and bring them to court,” said Mooij Tuesday.
He said the intention is to create the “greenest marinas” in the region on St. Maarten. “We are not there yet but the intention is to bring it up to ensure that it is the greenest,” he said.
The one-year project is primarily funded by the United States National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and runs from March 2007 to March 2008.
Project objectives include the building of public support for the protection of the Simpson Bay Lagoon through promotional activities, school campaigns and other educational programs as well as the certification of Clean Marinas.
The Caribbean Good Mate Programme is designed to raise awareness and promote environmentally responsible recreational boating and marina operations. The most significant environmental impacts on the lagoon from boating and marina activities come from oil and fuel leakage, sewage, vessel maintenance, solid waste, runoff water and vessel operations. These impacts are all identifiable and correctable and the programme aims to teach boaters and marina professionals valuable techniques to prevent marine pollution.
The premise of the Good Mate Program is that individuals can prevent or correct water pollution problems through education, stewardship and changes in personal waste management strategies.
Environmentally sound boating practices are essential in restoring declining fish and shellfish populations, in allowing important habitats to recover and in continuing to draw residents and tourists to St. Maarten’s beaches and other coastal areas.
Local Environmentalist Rueben Thompson has been appointed EPIC’s Project Manager for Love the Lagoon and will be in charge of carrying out the day-to-day management activities.
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