The hotel project by the Emirates Group at Cap Ternay is set to take off with engineers and contractors in final preparations to move in. We are well informed that it is just a matter of time before dredging works start to create a pass for the landing heavy machinery and construction materials. This contemptuous act by government towards the people of Seychelles is unacceptable. The public meeting held at Port Glaud as part of the scoping exercise for the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) late last year was just a diversion; government’s intention was clear. The project would go ahead irrespective of whether the citizens approved of it or not; their concerns were irrelevant.
Following the public meeting at Port Glaud, a consultant for the project expressed his surprise at the objections raised during the meeting; government officials had misled them into believing that the whole population was behind the project. He made no effort to hide his disgust and disappointment of the difficult situation in which he found himself.
Cap Ternay remains a national park and as such should have never been even considered for a hotel development of that magnitude. It could, however, have been tendered and locals given the opportunity to tap into the tourism industry. The site was offered to the Emirates Group.
As it stands, Cap Ternay remains inaccessible to locals and foreigners alike unless a boat is hired; alternatively, permission has to come from Dubai. For our government to allow a huge tract of our national park to be turned into private property belonging to a foreigner is tantamount to treason.
The government under James Michel has lost all the respect of the population and the international community for their heinous decision to allow Cap Ternay to be raped but this is only the start of a long story.
