Open letter to:
Mr. Anthony Bowman
Secretary
Physical Planning Board
Kingstown
St. Vincent
Dear Sir,
I write in relation to a public notice published in The News on May 16, 2008 by the Physical Planning Board, which speaks of an application by ‘Baliceaux Development’ which seeks “to construct a new residential/commercial building on Baliceaux”.
Sir, as a senior member of the existing Linley family, who are descendants of Thomas Franklyn Linley and beneficiaries of his estate; I hereby state my objections to this application to develop Balliceaux and Battawya on behalf of myself and other beneficiaries.
In the first instance, the islands that are known as Balliceaux and Battawya form part of the estate of Thomas Franklyn Linley that is subject to distribution by way of a Court authorized Grant of Letters of Administration to Joseph Linley (No. 87 of 1994). Subsequent to receiving the Grant, Mr Joseph Linley started a Company, ‘Balliceaux Development Limited’ (No. 73 of 1994), and vested the islands in that Company by way of an agreement on November 1st, 1994. Assuming that the said applicant is one and the same as ‘Balliceaux Development Limited’ please be informed that at no time has Mr. Joseph Linley held any dialogue with me or any of the other beneficiaries of the estate of Thomas Franklyn Linley on whose behalf I write, as to any of these developments.
Aside from this, and having seen the existing plans for the ‘Baliceaux Development’ that are lodged at the Physical Planning and Development Board, some of the beneficiaries of Thomas Franklyn Linley, including myself, collectively share concerns about the proposed developmental plans for Balliceaux and Battawya. We are of the opinion that the nature of the proposed development will:
- Permanently destroy the environmental integrity of Balliceaux and Battawaya. These islands are among the last bastions of hope for wildlife protection and conservation of the natural environment in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
- Obliterate the significance of the history of Balliceaux and Battawya to the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, now and in the future. This is particularly in reference to the Garifuna people who suffered tremendously at the hands of the early settlers. This proposed development will be grossly disrespectful to the memory of the indigenous peoples, especially those who lost their lives on Balliceaux, and those who were exiled to Central America in 1797.
In our view, there is absolutely no aspect of this development that can sustainably profit the beneficiaries of Thomas Franklyn Linley, the Garifuna Peoples, or future generations of Vincentian people.
As beneficiaries of the estate of Thomas Franklyn Linley, it is our intention to exercise our rightful authority to our entitlement to the part or parts of the estate that belongs to us. We are also entitled to being party to any plans that would impact on the future development of Balliceaux and Battawya.
On behalf of myself and my beneficiaries, Clarence Linley and his beneficiaries, the beneficiaries of George Volmar Mills (deceased), and other beneficiaries of Thomas Franklyn Linley;
I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Lambert Linley |
