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PHILIPSBURG--No long-lease has been granted to Rainforest Adventures for Plantation Industry and Golden Rock (commonly called Emilio Wilson Estate). This was confirmed by Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs via the Press Secretariat.
Gumbs has "not signed anything for or granted anything" to Rainforest Adventures, according the statement issued on Wednesday morning. The combined estate was purchased by government in December.
Rainforest Adventures had only requested and was granted an audience with the Council of Ministers to make a presentation about its envisioned project.
There was much speculation in the community about the just one-month-old Gumbs Cabinet granting the recently acquired estate in long lease to Rainforest for an eco-tourism project.
The project, which includes a zip-line to the top of Sentry Hill similar to that of Loterie Farm and the restoration of historical buildings, has been contested by environmental and heritage groups. They have branded the project as a "mass tourism" venture.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, St. Maarten Pride and Emilio Wilson Estate (EWE) Foundations said it was with "a great sense of disappointment" that they had learnt that Gumbs Cabinet is poised to issue a long lease to Rainforest Adventures.
The apparent intention of government to grant the long lease "without any sort of consultation" with stakeholders signals a continuation of government's "lack of appreciation" for the country's natural and cultural heritage and "a dictatorial approach" to management of natural resources, according to the foundations.
The foundations have repeatedly objected to "the extremely commercial plans" Rainforest has for the estate.
