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EIA (Town Halls) Not Required for HYATT Hotel Project –say the LAWYERS

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Submitted by Anthony Davis

Hyatt model“Minister of Social Care Steve Blackett wants to know why ‘town hall meetings are needed now for every project…Were there town hall meetings when they imploded the Hilton Hotel?” he asked in reference to the Opposition Barbados Labour Party…Blackett said: “What are they talking about, we are an action Government” while blaming the Opposition for the poor state of the Empire Theatre, which has been out of use for the past 24 years” – page 6 of Barbados TODAY dated February 7, 2017

Pray tell me Mr. Minister, did you not say that your Government is a “people-centred” one?

If it is, that is what such a Government does – keep the populace informed, and that’s the best way of so doing.

If you are “an action Government” why haven’t you grabbed the bull by the horns -instead of just looking at pointing fingers at the Opposition – and repaired the theatre?

You are in power almost nine years now, and you had the time so to do.

Were the Chinese the only people you could turn to?

Seeing that you are “an action Government”, why not do something relevant and show us that you are really one and beside, a “people-centred” one?

How about rectifying the situation at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), the Geriatric Hospital and Psychiatric Hospital where conditions are not conducive to the nurses working there – so much so that they are leaving for greener pastures?

Giving Hyatt permission to build a 12- or 15-storey twin-tower hotel on Browne’s beach is great action against the populace of this country!

Not knowing how high the building is to be should be reason enough to turn down the application!

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78 responses to “EIA (Town Halls) Not Required for HYATT Hotel Project –say the LAWYERS”

  1. Bernard Codrington. Avatar
    Bernard Codrington.

    I am sure an impact study was done when the first Hilton Hotel was built. There was no need for any town hall meeting to implode or replace it. What ignorance?

  2. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    According to “Barbados Today” the PM has signed off on it and only awaits the final document for signing.

    We shall see if DC will go to court as the project attorneys maintain that no EIA required.

  3. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Lawyers/coastal engineers..lol

    It’s stupid not to do an impact study..the hilton was imploded and rebuilt about 15 years ago or a little less.., since then there has been many studies on coastal erosion and rising sea levels within the last decade, but that is yall business.

  4. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    BPSA: Social partnership should monitor government’s rollout of new policies | The Broad Street Journal
    The Barbados Private Sector Agency says that with the country now facing what it called “the most prolonged socio-economic crisis since Independence,” there was…
    bsjbusiness.com
    https://goo.gl/xOWhws

  5. David Avatar
    David

    The lawyers opinion would have been informed by the legislation. Unfortunately we live in a democracy presided over by these so-called politicians where to share information with the people they serve is not a priority.

  6. Violet C Beckles CUP Avatar
    Violet C Beckles CUP

    Hyatt will not be built, The builders will end up like Four Seasons, ongoing to buy votes and crash and leave a stain on the land. If Hyatt dont do their home Work on the ownership of so-called government lands, the price will high for them to Hy-atte,,

    St Michael South Hyatt for votes for the PM Fumble, The want to break ground Feb 6th-2018 and not start until Feb 22nd-2018,

    We “CUP “have title to show? can the DBLP show? Public Questions need to be asked, No one seems to ask questions but fast to make COMMENTS, most based on a defective education or lack of,

  7. Dompey Avatar
    Dompey

    If those so called politicians are reluctant to share information with the general populace, then the onus probandi is upon the media to create inventive ways to access that information in an effect to inform the general public.

  8. Dompey Avatar
    Dompey

    Violet Beckle

    The media in Barbados is good at writing some of the most sensational stories regarding the improprieties of our public-officials, but where the Barbadian media fails I do believe, is in its effort to properly inform the public in such away as to elicit an emotional response from the public, prompting it to follow a trajectory which promotes chance.

  9. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ David,
    Governments’ (successive) failure to provide transparent and timely information has meant that the public discourse, on many important issues, has been hijacked by: pseudo intellectuals, academic frauds and ruthless party hacks on both sides. Independent positions and facts have little prominence in such a society.

  10. David Avatar
    David

    Agree with you Dompey. The local media deserves the label as news takers.

  11. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Dompey
    “If those so called politicians are reluctant to share information with the general populace, then the onus probandi is upon the media to create inventive ways to access that information in an effect to inform the general public.”

    The media are part of the political party complex. On one hand, journalists are totally suppressed by archaic libel laws and on the other they under supervision by the owners who support one or the other of our two major political parties. Hnce the field is perfect for what you call “so call politicians”.

  12. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Vincent HaynesFebruary 11, 2017 at 10:17 AM
    “We shall see if DC will go to court as the project attorneys maintain that no EIA required.”

    D C would be a downright fool in the spitting image of a real Don Quixote if he should waste both his money and ‘self-lawyering’ time in waging an imaginary battle against a giant for an erection.

    Should this eponymous David in his fervent detumescence to slay a goliath of a concrete monstrosity of Priapic proportions stumble upon a flaccid beanstalk of support he ought to look to see the outcome of the legal challenge to the unapproved erection of the hard-rock depot next to the flour packaging silo.

    Here is a word of advice to the idealistic boy David who is striving to become a political one-eye King in the land of the intellectual blind. This is not a battle for you to fight anymore.
    Let the realities of the financial market dictate the rise of expectations and the fall from funding grace of the Hyatt figment of the people’s imagination.

    You can bet your bottom dollar that those who have their mouths behind that vicariously planned erection will not be putting one red Bajan or foreign cent of their own money behind its actual rising from the ground.

    D C, would you advise any investor foreign or local, to bet US $100 million on a dying mule running in a jackass race of failing tourism projects in an industry with ROI’s bordering on the negative line and clearly unsustainable without massively untenable fiscal and other State-supported concessions?

    Isn’t this a perfect example of ‘Privatization in reverse’? If the Four Seasons restart project with all its approvals and building foundation and ‘erection’ in place was unable to attract ‘serious’ investors from either local or foreign sources despite going for a song how can a tower of confusion erected in a fast growing shanty town with explosively erupting sewage problems on the horizon ever attract financially reliably investors?

    D C, why don’t you let the people behind the erection show their monies before you put yourself on the line of stupid martyrs for a Bajan public who don’t give two ‘jobbys’ from the sewage plant about you or their foreign reserves future?

    Signed: Sancho Panza the eponymous jackass of a miller’s son.

  13. David Avatar
    David

    @William

    Cannot disagree with you. The fight continues to break the juggernaut.

  14. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    Miller

    Good logical reasoning,one hopes DC will follow your advice.

  15. enuff Avatar
    enuff

    In Barbados, developments within “Natural Heritage Conservation Areas” are subject to an EIA; hence the reason for requesting, where appropriate, a description of the likely significant effects, direct or indirect, on architectural and archaeological heritage, landscaping and the relationship between these. Given the designation of Bridgetown as a World Heritage site, based not only on its built form (architecture) but natural attributes such as Carlisle Bay, the 15-storey Hyatt should have been subjected to a full EIA.

    Regarding height, a maximum of 5 storeys or 55 ft is permitted for tourist accommodation; anything higher is subject to a design review. Was this done and by whom? Additionally, only 150 beds (1 bedroom equals 2 beds) per acre for tourist accommodations is allowed in areas outside of the West Coast. How big is the site? How many rooms are proposed?

  16. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    enuff

    Hopefully the The Miller’s logical conclusion will prevail,failing which we will definitely loose world heritage status.

  17. David Avatar
    David

    What are the names of the lawyers who the government sought counsel on this matter?

  18. enuff Avatar
    enuff

    David

    The lawyers have taken a very narrow interpretation of what requires an EIA. The truth is that hotels are not included on the list of developments that require an EIA, but the list is not exhaustive; hence developments not on the list could require one. The sheer scale and location of the Hyatt should fit in the “other” category, but like I said earlier this proposal falls under “Natural Heritage Conservation Areas”.

  19. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Probably the same lawyers who represented the government of Barbados in the CCJ ‘s Myrie Vs Barbados case.

  20. Ping Pong Avatar
    Ping Pong

    Who takes seriously a man walking about in a waistcoat in tropical Barbados in 2017?

  21. David Avatar
    David

    @enuff

    There have been recent reports of a build up of sand banks off the area of the old BDF coast guard headquarters. It seems unimaginable we would want to plant a 15 story level hotel and all that it brings on the beach front and not demand an impact study as well.

  22. Own Area Avatar
    Own Area

    You can buy ‘a no EIA position’, the harder part to know who is sells them and whether that is the same person who needs to be paid.
    No social impact study is needed either? How was that?

  23. ac Avatar
    ac

    One would have to out of touch with reality not to belive that the Hyatt would not have heavily relied on their own professional enviromental assessment before going ahead with a multimillon dollar project.
    Most of the humming and yawning is part of a bigger picture to furstrate Foreign investors but unlike the Cahill project where the owners where embrolied in personnel legalities and unknown the Hyattvwould proceed
    The Hyatt is a well reknowned international brand with no previous illegalties attached to its name
    So frown all you want complain all you want Hyatt has a stellar profile of activism in environmental issues and its presence cannot hurt but help to clean up the delapidated areas of bridgetown and surroundings areas

  24. Own Area Avatar
    Own Area

    The Hyatt name is rented, ask the Gilkes at Needham’s they been renting the Hilton name for 40 years.

  25. enuff Avatar
    enuff

    Why do people talk so much rubbish? The Hyatt is NOT the developer and secondly the no developer will undertake an EIA unless requested to do so by the TPD. In any event, the robustness of an EIA is not determined by the applicant/developer but by the TPD and MUST be made available for public scrutiny 28 days before a mandatory public consultation i.e. town hall meeting.

  26. Jeff Cumberbatch Avatar
    Jeff Cumberbatch

    “On one hand, journalists are totally suppressed by archaic libel laws”

    @ William, our libel law is not archaic at all, Mr Skinner. In fact it is the most advanced in the region. Our culture however, tells us to hide behind this shibboleth to avoid trouble…

  27. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    Jeff Cumberbatch February 11, 2017 at 4:29 PM #

    Thanks for stating the above.

    Journalists for many reasons have run from presenting facts and opinions from the days Mark Stokes to present.

  28. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Miller…leave them to it and Commissiong should leave them to it also…….we will have lots to blog about..lol

    The poop has already started bubbling up in Bridgetown, just wait patiently.

  29. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Nicely placed Jeff.That is the other John 3.16 straight from the horse’s mouth.
    On another point.I am convinced that Minister Blackett is ac.

  30. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Am I right in thinking you can libel the dead in Barbados?

  31. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Remember that newspaper lawyers in Barbados are also over-cautious. When I briefly did a column for the Nation one of the lawyer apparently returned an article as legally sensitive. But, I had read it carefully, and, in line with all UK national newspapers, I had cleared it with the FT lawyer who thought it was fine.
    The caution was nothing to do with the jurisdictional difference, but cowardice.

  32. David Avatar
    David

    @enuff

    Why did you even bother to respond? ac is clueless.

  33. Bernard Codrington. Avatar
    Bernard Codrington.

    @ ac at 3 :20 PM

    Is Hyatt building and owning the proposed structure or is it simply franchising the Hyatt name for 20+ % of gross revenues? Hotel brand names are not interested in real estate.

    The GOB owns the building which Hilton manages for over 20% of gross revenues. At least that is my understanding.

    If this is the same arrangement the owners / builders of the erection are the risk takers.

  34. Violet C Beckles CUP Avatar
    Violet C Beckles CUP

    Dompey February 11, 2017 at 11:55 AM #@

    The media and the DBLP seem to have a treaty. Even on facebook people will see that no matter the new parties that pop up, The media will not print or say the word CUP.

    None of those Parties see it fit to come out, Now the Question is why NOW, What change between 2008 and 2016/17 for them to pop out now?

    This is why we say we are NEXT , THE word we use even so that SB have ‘next’ in their email, is that to confuse the people? A person running need to do his homework before adding the word next, or maybe he did his homework to add the word next,

    DLP/BLP/SB//UPP=Same crooks “BIM” ? ” CUP ” stands alone with Truth

    6 groups or names, and more may pop up before its all done, The people have to educate themselves on why from 2008-2013-2017 buildings have not gone up? maybe other land ownership issues, CLEAR TITLE ISSUES?

    WARNING, REMOVE YOU MONEY FROM FIRST CARIBBEAN AND CIBC, THOSE ARE BEATRICE HENRY ACCOUNTS AND CLICO PONZI FRAUD, US BANKING AND BASEL 3 BANKING IS ABOUT TO HIT EVEN HARDER DEALING WITH CROOKS LIKE SIR HAM AND SIR COW,
    BARBADOS HAVE BIGGER PROBLEMS THAN TRUMP under their feet and outside their doors,

  35. Violet C Beckles CUP Avatar
    Violet C Beckles CUP

    Bernard Codrington. February 11, 2017 at 5:42 PM #@

    The Hilton Hotel is also on the Bay Plantation deed.Yet no one questions what deal they did or lies said? The level of Fraud running is Massive,

    The People have a right to know what the government is doing, The government is not a private business after being elected by way of buying Votes,

  36. Jeff Cumberbatch Avatar
    Jeff Cumberbatch

    My point exactly, Mr Austin @5:09 pm. Yes, one can defame the dead in Barbados, but our defences of justification and triviality contribute to a greater freedom of speech than in most other common law jurisdictions.

  37. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    This is rather interesting. How then do I break the news that a senior lawyer in Barbados, who claims to have been qualified in Britain, did part one of the solicitors’ exams and not the second part. He is therefore not qualified, according to the Law Society.

  38. enuff Avatar
    enuff

    For those who think I am a purveyor of alternative facts: an extract from the draft PDP recently published for consultation.

    http://www.townplanning.gov.bb/pdp/Downloads/files/pdp/A-05_Implementation.pdf

  39. Jeff Cumberbatch Avatar
    Jeff Cumberbatch

    @Hal, Justification, or Truth as we now call it, is a complete defense to defamation, but be sure that t you can establish it by admissible evidence otherwise there may be an increase in the compensation payable.

  40. David Avatar
    David

    @enuff

    It would seem based on the link you posted that the ESIA, HIA and TIA should apply to the Hyatt project.

  41. David Avatar
    David

    Here is the doosie from the document:

    Public Engagement and Consultation
    The Government of Barbados is committed to creating an environment which encourages citizens become more involved in the planning process. To this end, the process will be transparent and the public will be encouraged to participate. The Government must therefore ensure that the public is informed and consulted on proposed amendments to the Physical Development Plan, whether initiated by the Government or the private sector, on an application to the Chief Town Planner. Such consultation will occur by providing information, advertising and holding public meetings, workshops and/or open houses so that affected communities and individuals have the opportunity to understand and make submissions to the Chief Town Planner.

  42. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    ” the process will be transparent and the public will be encouraged to participate.”

    So why has this not happened ?

  43. Own Area Avatar
    Own Area

    Grease………lots of GREASE

  44. Own Area Avatar
    Own Area

    Hyatt Grease Lightning Hotel

  45. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    The BLP will continue on the road across this country to Rub Shoulders with the People. We will do it individually and we will do it as a Party. – See more at: http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/93439/statement-blp-city-tour#sthash.2EBdMOwl.dpuf

  46. Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right - INRI Avatar
    Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right – INRI

    @ Hants

    The reason that these Town Hall meetings have not happened is quite simple.

    We do not want to give the people being discommoded a chance to voice their opinions in the presence of the news papare and other journalists.

    Especially now that all of wunna got cell phones to video the cussings and stream them live for the electorate to see.

    We prefer the shadow town hall meetings where we pretend that such meetings happened

    My Man hants.

    I must admit i am not to particularly fond of this “shoulder rubbing” term for two reasons.

    One is that it reminds of of the shoulder rubbing and vote robbing that the “evenings with Owen” proposed several years back

    The second reason is more primal and deals with the rubbing of certain parts which we used to call lawn mowing when younger, it got all sorts of names nowadays, like scissorzing and tribbing and dem sorts of tings dat de ole man ent supposed to know but….

    Wh you got them words with capital letters though?? heheheheh some people delight in ruption ent it?

  47. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    This man Mark Maloney is always on to the next project. It’s all about making millions and with the stupid ministers in his back pocket, there’s no stopping him.

    The lawyer making the millions now is connected with the party.

  48. enuff Avatar
    enuff

    David

    That document is only in draft and has not been adopted. However, the TPD, knowing that this is the emerging policy, should have considered it as a material consideration and asked for an ESIA and HIA. No wonder the Barbados National Trust is not pleased. The fact that this is published just before news of the Hyatt being approved, further raises the question of why no EIA was requested.

    Public engagement and consultation when the PDP is being prepared is only one side of the equation, what is missing is e&c when big projects are being proposed and approved–cue Hyatt. The planning application and approval process needs to be more transparent; the public should have access to ALL application documents to inform their position–whether to object or support any project.

  49. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Vincent Haynes February 11, 2017 at 10:17 AM “We shall see if DC will go to court as the project attorneys maintain that no EIA required.”

    A fisherman will never tell you that his fish is stink.

    Attorneys are PAID to talk on BEHALF of their clients. What else do you expect them to
    say?

    However I expect the government of Barbados to act in the best interest of Barbados. That is what WE PAY THEM to do.

    And this minister ought really to shut the fc.uk up.

  50. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Hal Austin February 11, 2017 at 5:04 PM “Am I right in thinking you can libel the dead in Barbados?”

    No you cannot libel the dead. The dead are just a stinking magotty mess of bone and hair and stinking, rotting flesh. The dead have no reputations to protect and no interest in protecting their former reputations.

    In fact the last time I checked, the dead are not interested in anything at all.

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