Department of VROMI issues negative advice, since developer does not have the land in long lease.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the United Peoples Party Theodore Heyliger through the company SBL applied for a building permit to construct a marina, private parking and boardwalk in Simpson Bay. The project is mainly to cater to the yatching industry and their clients, which will include restaurants, all of which will be closed off to the general public. SMN News learnt that a close relative, and former employee of Isle del Sol of the UPP leader is fronting for the well-known politician that is specialized in projects such as the one he is trying to construct in Simpson Bay. A well-placed source told SMN News that Heyliger personally met with some of the people that has water rights in Simpson Bay and asked them to work along with him. Several of those persons it is understood agreed to be part of the project except the Halley family who have been having issues with doing their business in Simpson Bay.
SMN News further learnt that the department of permits and department of infrastruture management both gave negative advices internally. Those negative advices were circulated within VROMI via a memo.
The department of building permits in its advice stated that part of the land belong to government and the developer does not have the property in long lease, therefore no building permit could be issued as it is a protected area for drainage purposes of the surrounding areas, and would require prior approval of the Minister of VROMI for the land to be given out in long lease to the developer to construct a private business on the said property. This is policy was maintained by the trench adjacent to Pine Apple Pete's Restaurant. Besides that a negative advice was also given due to the trenches that are at the location and cannot be covered since the purpose of the trenches is to drain excess water from Simpson Bay to the lagoon whenever there is heavy rain or hurricanes. Another issue raised was the trench that is next to Pine Apple Petes Restaurant that could not be covered for the same reasons and protected by the same policy that the Ministry of VROMI has been applying for public drainage.
It is not yet known how the developer intends to work around getting the land in long lease from government and department of VROMI to approve the building permit for the marina and boardwalk for the Simpson Bay area, knowing the department already denied other developers the right to cover or close the trenches in the area.
