Marigot:--- Prosecutor Jacques Louvier has started a large scale investigation within government departments responsible for issuing building permits. According to a well placed source, the investigation which is now being handled by a judge in Guadeloupe is to determine why the building permit was granted for the construction of a villa in Terre Basse even though the file was incomplete within a short period of time.SMN News has been reliably informed that the proprietor of 63 Terre Basse hired Maurizo Lanari as his architect to handle all his paperwork and constructing of the villa. So far the proprietor who has been described a rich American paid 8 million Euros and the building is far from completion. A huge wall and ramp was also built almost on the shoreline of the beach. SMN News understands that several residents of Terre Basse alerted the authorities about the wall and other infringements when the construction started but only on December 13 the gendarmes and other authorities from service urbanism and the Collectivity visited the site and ordered the work stoppage. According to our sources, the lawyers representing the proprietor is not contesting the work stoppage but instead they are seeking to find out why the stoppage only took place now and who turned a blind eye on what was taking place at the site even though several complaints were filed.
SMN News visited the site to get a first hand view of the construction and it is clear that there are several properties built in Terre Basse that are not in accordance with the French building codes. If this investigation progresses it may open the Pandora box as to who is behind what at the building permits department. It will be interesting to see if these buildings will have to be demolished and if those responsible for breaking the law will be punished.Several efforts to reach prosecutor Jacques Louvier on Sunday proved futile.
