Karakter Beach Bar Files Injunction against Government --- Demolition Order Issued to Remove Illegal Structure.

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Simpson Bay:--- The owners of Karakter Beach Bar filed an injunction against the Government of St. Maarten on Tuesday confirmed head of Public Works Louis Brown. Brown explained that the Minister of Environmental Affairs Theodore Heyliger issued a demolition order earlier this year. The department head said when the inspectors visited the location earlier this year they discovered the illegal structure that was being constructed on a public beach. He said the inspectors issued a stop order but the owners delayed the process by applying for a building permit. The Minister in charge denied the request based on the fact the structure was built on public beach without a building permit. Brown said the owners then appealed the Minister's decision and a hearing was conducted in accordance with the law. He further explained that during the appeal hearing the owners were heard along with a number of witnesses and at the end of the procedure the Minister confirmed his first decision which was denying the building permit and ordering that the illegal structure be demolished.
The Head of Public Works said the owner of Karakter Beach Bar was informed of the Minister's decision during the month of October 2011 and they ignored the decision. Brown said last week he dispatched another letter to the owners and informed them that if the structure was not removed by this week then the Department of VROMI will execute the demolition order at the expense of the owners. Brown further explained when the workers of VROMI showed up at the location on Tuesday to execute their duties, the owners immediately filed an injunction to stop the demolition until the outcome of the court injunction they initiated. The Department head said at the center of the dispute is a wall which the Minister also ordered to be removed. The owners he said is contesting the removal of that low wall.
Several persons that are among the environmental foundations said that they received a lot of flak from the Dutch community when they spoke out against the illegal structure Karakter Bar constructed on the beach. They said that it appears as though the owners of Karakter Beach Bar have friends in high places and instead of them telling the owners to abide and respect the country's laws they are ridiculing the Environmental Foundations. "Karakter Beach Bar started out in a truck then they built a toilet, after that they built this huge deck with chairs and lights on the public beach without requesting a building permit. While the process took very long and we were of the option that government was not doing anything, the injunction filed on Tuesday will only delay the process, while the people of St. Maarten are looking for justice," the foundation members said.