Isle’s Bay beach has been the most beautiful beach on Montserrat and it is a desecration to destroy it. World-travelling sea swimmers have stated that the swimming off Isles Bay beach is some of the best anywhere on earth. They returned year after year to experience it.
The volcano has wreaked its havoc and residents are still willing to take their chances and stay in their homes in what remains of this former paradise. But now that the volcanic activity is cooling down, the soul-less few, in their evident greed, seem to want to ruin what remains of the once magnificent Belham Valley. They plan to destroy it by installing an ugly, noxious, noisy industrial site. To wantonly demolish such natural beauty is tantamount to a slap in God’s face. Surely it’s a sin to even consider such a crime against nature.
Haven’t the residents of Isles Bay, Old Towne and surrounding areas suffered enough? Many of these people spent their life savings in order to live in such a lovely place. Like us, they were charmed and never dreamed that a future administration would reverse the zoning restrictions from what we always understood to be residential to “anything goes”.
Montserrat, as a small island with finite boundaries and restricted living areas, cannot afford to obliterate one of its most spectacular locales for the sake of – what? – the further enrichment of those who are already wealthy. The destruction of the valley and beach is being considered for all the wrong reasons, greed and apathy chief among them. Don’t believe for a minute that those in charge will abide by any rules. They’ve already proven that they can get away with anything. Everyone has seen that they believe that they are above the law; nobody stops them or gets in their way; they simply do as they please and, no doubt, will continue to do so. It’s a great shame, for the entire island will suffer.
It’s a tragedy that the powers that be appear to have no imagination – their long-term greed can see no further than their short-term profit.
Disillusioned and Disheartened
