Executive Director of the SVG Environment Fund Louise Mitchell strongly opposed a recent application by one Raffique Dunbar to remove coral reef at Indian Bay, Villa.
The public notice for the application was published in the Searchlight newspaper on July 2nd, which stated that Dunbar made an application to the Physical Planning and Development board to remove the coral reef from the beach area.
In a telephone interview with SVGTV News, Mitchell said the idea for the application is to remove coral reef at Indian Bay to replace it with imported sand, and build a barrier reef that is made out of concrete blocks across the beach area.
According to Mitchell, she strongly objects to the application stating that the reef is not dead as the applicant may suggest.
Mitchell who have been involved in environmental work in SVG for the past 20 years, said that coral reefs are very important to the eco-system and marine life, and everything must be done to protect them. She said the SVG Environmental Fund has set up an online petition which already has garnered over 25-hundred signatures.
Mitchell is also encouraging other Vincentians to join the fight to protect their natural heritage at Indian Bay.
