ENVIRONMENT BEFORE PROFIT AND DEVELOPMENT – ONLY IN THE SEYCHELLES
(Posted 28th February 2015)
Seychelles’ President James Alix Michel has for some years now established himself as one of the globe’s foremost environmental leaders, taking the battle against the fallout of climate change to the world’s leading platforms. While at times accused by opposition critics that his spoken words and key note speeches are just that, words and speeches, did President Michel yesterday at the State of the Nation Address in Parliament make it all but clear to those critics that the gospel he preaches abroad applies equally at home.
A 250+ million US Dollar resort project, initially announced in 2007 and to go up at the landmark site of Cap Ternay, is now being aborted in order to protect the area, the bird and marine life at the Baie Ternay Marine Park and the Morne Seychelles National Park, both of which extend into area where the resort was to be built. Initially planned to include some 400 rooms was the project gradually downsized and the last public interaction between the developers, the Emirates Group, and the Seychellois public last November spoke of only 100 rooms, still however attracting outspoken critique and sustained opposition from locals.
With over half of the land of the Seychelles under protection already, which puts the archipelago into global pole position, will this latest commitment to environmental protection go a long way to reassure conservationists and environmentalists on the islands of the sincerity of government and bodies charged with ensuring that no resort developments will be approved unless they full comply with relevant guidelines and regulations.
Said President Michel in his State of the Nation address when announcing the shelving of the project: ‘We always follow the same principle. I have listened, consulted and studied the reports. All the scientific arguments suggest that such a project will affect the environment of the area. Naturally, as the President of this country, it is my duty and responsibility to take the best decision in the interest of the Seychellois people, and for the protection of our heritage. I have decided that there will be no such project at Cap Ternay’.
It is understood that the project developers, who only a few weeks ago had submitted a new draft outline of the downsized plans for the resort, have accepted the government’s decision. It could not be immediately established if the Emirates Group will be offered an alternative site for development.
Visit www.seychelles.travel for added information about the Seychelles, its national parks, nature and bird reserves and marine parks.
