PHILIPSBURG:--- The former Minister of VROMI William Marlin gave specific instructions to the contractors that are constructing the causeway to ensure that the old Tamarind Tree be saved and protected since it's a historical tree. In a letter to SLAC, the former Minister of VROMI through the Acting Secretary General of VROMI Louis Brown gave the instructions when he approved the revised plans for the roundabout. SMN News obtained a copy of the letter that was sent by the Acting Secretary General to SLAC and the Port of St. Maarten on May 29th, 2013.
In a press release the new Minister of VROMI Maurice Lake stated that he received advice from the Manager of the Marine Park/ Nature Foundation Tazio Bervoets and from Jay Haivser to remove the Tamarind tree which is over 200 years old. It should be noted that Bervoets is working for the Prime Minister of St. Maarten, an issue SMN News raised with Bervoets several months ago. It is a clear conflict of interest because Bervoets remains the manager of the Marine Park/Nature Foundation while working for the Prime Minister of St. Maarten. The Minister of VROMI also stated that he obtained advice from Jay Haviser who is an employee of the Government of St. Maarten. Haviser works for the Department of VROMI.
The St. Maarten Pride Foundation objected to the removal of the Tamarind Tree, they stated that they were not contacted for advice even though they have been fighting the environmental causes on St. Maarten.
Minister Maurice Lake said he prefers to save lives rather than saving a historical tree. Residents of the French side made several comments on Facebook and several writers have written poems highlighting the importance of the Tamarind Tree in Cole Bay. One such writer is Raymond Heyliger who wrote in his poem that the Tamarind Tree sheltered the slaves that ran from the Dutch side to the French side when slavery was emancipated in the year 1848. Slaves from the Dutch side also ran over to the French side to escape to Anguilla who obtained their emancipation in 1838.
Click here to view the letter sent by SG Louis Brown to SLAC on May 29th, 2013.
Click here to see the revised plans for the roundabout.
