Mullet Bay Towers limits access to Mullet Bay Beach--- Government needs to secure parking and multiple means of public access to the island's beaches.

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Philipsburg:--- On Sunday Afternoon St. Maarten Pride Foundation board member Rueben Thompson was approached by Mullet Bay security while parking along the road in the vicinity of the Mullet Bay resort ruins at the far (western side of the beach). Security informed Thompson that management was no longer allowing the public to park at the western side of the property, or to access the beach by walking via the golf course or the old road to the former beach restaurants (of which the pavement has been removed in recent years) as the entire area is private property.

People wanting to go to the far side of the beach are being diverted to the old Mullet Bay beach parking lot and have to walk quite a distance to the far side of the beach. St. Maarten Pride Foundation is surprised and outraged by this recent development and wonders;

What Mullet Bay Towers management expects people to do when that parking lot is full? Why hasn't government secured multiple ways of public access for this long Beach? Why is Mullet Bay, a resort which has been in ruins (except for the towers) since 1995 stopping people from parking at and accessing the beach from the far side? People have been parking at and accessing the beach from this area for decades, even more so ever since the Mullet Bay units have been in ruins. St. Maarten's residents and visitors have had to live with the "Mullet Bay ruins" for almost 15 years now isn't it time for the company to give something back to the island?

All of St. Maarten's beaches are public and government needs to secure parking and multiple means of public access to the island's beaches. This situation is again one of those which can be attributed to an absence of zoning legislation and assertiveness by successive governments.

In November of 2009 St. Maarten Pride Foundation sent a letter to the executive council regarding the dilapidated buildings in Mullet Bay,the letter was also published in the local media, Pride is still awaiting a response. The Foundation is hereby renewing its calls for the "Mullet Bay ruins" to be demolished. Sint Maarten PRIDE foundation is of the opinion that our Island Government should no longer tolerate and entertain Sun Resort's refusal to clean up their derelict buildings as their inaction is not based on lack of finances or resources, but rather appears to be one of disrespect for the people of Sint Maarten, our laws and our tourism product. St. Maarten Pride foundation is also advocating that the Mullet Bay area remains free from residential, commercial and Industrial development for a period of at least 15 years after the demolition. The Mullet Bay area is the last open green zone on the Western side of St. Maarten and should be zoned as a recreational area for sports and beach activities.