VROM Head suspended
over Indigo Bay permits
PHILIPSBURG--Head of Environmental Planning and Policy VROM engineer D. R. was sent home Wednesday pending an investigation into the issuance of a “go-ahead letter” to the developers of Indigo Bay Estates without their submitting designs to obtain planning and building permits for the Cay Bay project.
The Daily Herald was reliably informed that D.R., who was appointed department head on February 1, had given the developers a letter allowing them to clear the 148-acre property in June.
When former Public Works Commissioner Roy Marlin broke ground for the project in July, no permits had been issued for the development. To date, the project has not received any permits.
The discrepancy was “discovered” when an excavator working on the property last week damaged a main electricity feeder cable from the GEBE power plant and caused an extensive and prolonged power outage on the Dutch side.
Reportedly it was discovered on checking the estate’s plans that the developers had been treating the letter of comfort, which D.R. did not have the authority to issue, as a go-head for the project.
According to the source, the project, which includes a boutique hotel, townhouses and other amenities, has been put on hold until the permit issue has been sorted out.
Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards is reportedly in charge of the investigation.
Efforts to contact Sector Head of Environmental Development and Property Management ROB Joseph Dollison on the issue proved futile Wednesday, as were attempts to contact D.R.
However, asked Wednesday about the work stoppage, an Indigo Bay representative said the work had only stopped last week when the cable was damaged, but had since been resumed as normal.
