Growing construction industry worsens illegal sand mining in SK
By Ryan Haas
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts-ILLEGAL sand mining is an environmental issue that has been on the rise across St. Kitts as the construction and tourism industries continue to grow, and the Director of the Department of Physical Planning and Environment, Randolph Edmead says that the situation will only deteriorate more if legal action is not taken.
“The uncontrolled removal of sand from beaches can lead to a devastating impact on coastal areas,” Edmead informed SKNVibes.com in an exclusive interview. “It disrupts the nesting of Leatherback sea turtles, is harmful to the vegetation and makes structures along the coast vulnerable to high waves as they approach the land.”
In the construction industry fine sand is required to make mortar and high-quality finishes for buildings. Edmead explained that the sale of the product is outlined by the National Conservation and Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and regulated by the Department of Public Works, but since construction began in the La Valle area, the only area in St. Kitts where sand can be sustainably mined, access to the resource has been limited.
“What has happened in the past is that we had a designated area for sand extraction. The construction of the golf course would have limited access to that area,” the Director stated. ~~Adz:Right~~
He added that measures were to have been put in place to stock pile sand and improve access to La Valle, but those measures “were not very successful and as a result we have begun to see an increase in illegal sand mining,” especially at the Keys and Conaree beaches.
It is speculated that those illegally mining sand are doing so in the early hours of the morning or late on the weekends when patrons are less likely to be at the beaches, thus making it difficult to catch and prosecute offenders.
Edmead said that two other factors have prevented his department from effectively preventing illegal mining in St. Kitts, lax penalties and unwillingness by some contractors to pay for the commodity.
“What I must admit here is that the penalties stipulated by CEPA are not strong enough to act as a serious deterrent,” he said. “The maximum fines are insignificant.”
When construction began in the La Valle area the Department of Physical Planning and Environment produced a report which “advised the government as to what needed to be done in the short, medium and long term” to ensure St. Kitts’ beaches were not excessively mined. Edmead noted, however, that the proposal has yet to be sanctioned and implemented years after it was submitted.
“We really do not have the resources to sustain an activity like this, especially in the light that we are going into tourism,” said Edmead, adding that beaches are the most vital component to tourism in the Caribbean.
In the original report published by Edmead’s department, the long term solution to this issue was to import sand from other Caribbean countries with sustainable sand supplies, such as Guyana, Martinique and Dominica.
“I know that Nevis imports and it must be noted that the decision to import sand will be looked at very carefully, as those in the industry may look at it as an opportunity to unfairly raise their price to compensate for their lost profits.
“Our responsibility is ultimately to ensure that the sanding mining in St. Kitts is done in a sustainable manner, even as we continue to develop as a nation,” Edmead said.
