On June 19, 2012 GIU issued a release from the Governor’s Office which warned, “If anyone is found in Zone V, apart from those sand miners who have been given permission to do so, they are liable to arrest and will appear before the Magistrate.”
This warning comes on the heels of complaints by sand mining officials that there are other persons conducting activities other sand mining or just visiting. “We do not notice that they are operating under the same strict guidelines as we are,” this unanimous informant points out.
The Governor’s statement confirms the presence of unauthorized persons, but it is believed that besides the unauthorized presence of these persons the activities suggest that organized and perhaps illegal activities continue to take place in Plymouth.
In the December 30, 2011 issue of TMR in an article captioned “wire scrap metal export is big business” (see “http://www.themontserratreporter.com/wire-scrap-metal-export-big-business/) we reported that persons were collecting and exporting wire and scrap metal from zone v (Plymouth).
Later reports confirmed that a business had been registered to conduct such a business and in fact been operating out of Plymouth. Further reports note that buildings and homes in Plymouth are being routinely scavenged of windows and doors. “They are tearing out windows, electric wiring and copper tubing from these buildings all over the area,” said one sand miner.
The Governor in the statement said: “Sand is being exported from the Plymouth jetty. However, the essential workers who are involved in this operation are working to strict guidelines and have signed indemnity waivers…These areas are in Zone V where there is absolutely no access to the general public, nor to commercial operations who have not received prior permission from the DMCA or the MVO.”
