Laborie/Augier parliamentary representative Alva Baptiste has confirmed that no new quarry will be established in the constituency, putting an end to concerns about the controversial proposal that faced strong opposition from residents.
Baptiste provided the update earlier this week when asked about a 2022 Development Control Authority (DCA) application by the Rayneau Group of Companies to establish a new quarry in the area. The proposal had sparked community outrage over environmental concerns, including dust and noise pollution.
“The last time I had the opportunity to address you on that particular issue, I declared that the people of Laborie are vehemently opposed to the idea,” Baptiste told reporters. “And I think we need to be sensitive to the mood of the people of the Laborie/Augier constituency.”
Laborie is already home to Wilrock Ltd, a quarry that has been in operation in Sapphire for over three decades. The proposal for a second quarry drew much opposition from the community, and residents subsequently placed their concerns in a letter to the DCA and their MP.
Baptiste told reporters back in 2022: “The quarry is not a playground. It is not a park where people gonna recreate. You are talking about an area where you blast and you have residential areas. And the blasting is something that could cause a lot of environmental problems and, therefore, Laborie, which is an environmentally conscious community, will always be concerned about such developments.”
In response to public concerns, the head of the Rayneau Group of Companies, Rayneau Gajadhar, had assured that mitigation measures would be put in place.
“What we have to do is to work with each other to mitigate whatever potential issues that they may have in relation to the quarry operation. That can be done, that will be done when the time comes,” he had said.
Almost three years later, with no approval granted, residents see this as a victory for their cause.
Despite Baptiste’s confirmation that the project will not move forward, he did not provide further details on the decision.
I leave you for Ray
We don’t need all that dust suffocating the hell out of all living things in it’s path. One quarry is already too many. We need to breathe. Put the people first for a change.
@Get…..did you not read comprehend and understand the minister statement, so in earnest the people’s interest was put first, but may God forbid their was a change in governance for the right price mindset could be swayed, but most likely their would be an uprising would occur as it did with the once planned development of Rudy John Beach (of which I use weekly) back in the day…..the blue print still exists. The place desperately is in need of some modern developments, maybe a mini mall or a library, a new police station, desperately beach and jetty upgrade, or a small boutique hotel that would not overshadow the quaint tranquility of the community, their are too many relics still standing of unsung local celebrities of yesteryear that has departed many moons ago for a more cosmopolitan lifestyle (they know themselves).
“Most hornable Lucian”; you obviously do not have any knowledge of the events taking place in the subject area. The project has already began. But more importantly, you do not understand why politicians lie. Politicians lie to appeal to the majority of voters as we are living in the golden age of lying. Politicians calculate the price of telling a lie as opposed to telling the truth. If telling a lie is less costly to them than telling the truth, then they will tell the lie.