THE island’s environmental lobbyists have come out strongly against the proposed development of Pellew Island in Portland, arguing that the site is one that should be allowed to remain untouched.

“It (the development) is ill-conceived and I am surprised that the Government regulatory agencies have even entertained the application, never mind they might give it permission,” said Peter Espeut, pastoral administrator at St Benedict’s Roman Catholic Church, and past executive director of the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation. “It is just unthinkable that we should do this. It is an iconic island; it’s on all the tourism posters. To go and build houses on it means that people have to keep off. I used to swim across to that island as a child, and to think now that three houses are going to be on it.”

The Pellew Island development, according to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report prepared by Caribbean Ecosystems Limited, is to see the construction of two villas – one with seven bedrooms and the other four bedrooms.

“The design concept envisages an old Jamaica/Balinese-style of architecture with clinker board exteriors, thatched covered copper alloy roofs, high ceilings, wrap-around verandas, demerara windows and poured coloured concrete and wooden floors, in the appropriate areas,” the EIA report said.

The two villas, the report added, will be on the north-east and north-west of the island. Both will be entered from a central common area, with circulation paths radiating from this area, wrapping around the villas to the shoreline of the island. All the existing trees will be retained in the proposed landscaping design.

“The island will be accessed by boat, an electric-powered glass-bottom boat or bamboo raft, from the reception area located directly south of the island on land alongside the main road at 43 San San main road west, of the Blue Lagoon Villas,” the EIA said. “A jetty and a small four-vehicle parking lot will be constructed at the reception area. Each villa will have its own pier for individual access to each villa.”

Beverley Barakat-Haddad owns the land on which the development is to be sited, and construction work is to be done by Millingen Architects, Environment Watch has learnt.

Espeut insists that the island should not be developed and added that he would be disappointed were approval to be granted for the development.

“If this government gives permission for the development of that island, we can safely say that they have not changed course; there is great continuity between the last PNP (People’s National Party) government and this current government,” he said. “It (the island) is a symbol of nature, of Jamaica as a pristine place. But if you go and build on it now, then where else are we not going to build on? It would be a symbol that nothing is sacred any more. There must be some places that remain in their natural beautiful state and Pellew Island is one of them, in my view,” added Espeut.

Danielle Andrade, legal director at the Jamaica Environment Trust, agreed with Espeut, noting that there was no question of the need to preserve the island.

“Generally we object to the development for several reasons,” she said.

Their reasons include:

. Pellew Island is an iconic landmark in Portland and has been used to market the parish as a tourist destination for years and thus seen as an important part of Jamaica’s natural heritage; and

. the development calls for the removal of vegetation, including sea grass beds, and is likely to have significant environmental impacts both during the construction and operation phase on the coral reef.

“We are also concerned that approval is being deliberated in the context of a long-awaited policy on Jamaica’s islands and cays that we are currently lacking,” Andrade told Environment Watch.

Asked why the owner should not be allowed to develop her property, Andrade said: “Somebody owns this property and they have a right to enjoy their property, but it should not be at the expense of what is in the public or national interest. I think it is in the national interest to preserve this island and keep it in its natural state.”

The National Environment and Planning Agency said yesterday it had yet to take a decision on the development.

“We are still in the process of reviewing the EIA and awaiting comments from relevant stakeholders,” the agency said in an e-mailed response to Environment Watch queries.

Meanwhile, the EIA report notes that the development will potentially negatively affect the area in different ways. There are, it said, implications for water quality.

“The activities involved in these phases (site preparation and construction) may possibly cause a major irreversible negative short-term impact on water quality in the area. This will be as a result of many of the activities which are slated to take place in these phases which include the possible storage of hazardous substances on the site, such as diesel and motor oil for the operation of machinery and standby generators, and the storage of raw material for the construction of buildings,” the report said.

The development may also have possible long-term impacts on the water quality in the marine environment, especially from the operation of sewage treatment plants, solid waste generated from the facility and run-off.

“Sewage effluent may cause increased nutrient loading to the marine environment which already shows elevated organic matter and nutrient levels,” the document said. “The activities involved in the operation of the villas may also possibly have an effect on the water quality in the area such as an increase in the level of run-off that may contain heavy metals, faecal bacteria, organic and inorganic chemicals, household-cleaning residues and grease and oils.”

The marine environment, too, stands to be affected both during and after construction.

“An immediate adverse impact to the benthic marine community will occur as a result of the construction of the two docks proposed on the shore of Pellew Island. The processes of dock construction will involve the direct disturbance of benthic habitat and communities during the processes of sinking the wooden posts (piles) that will support the jetty,” the report noted.

In addition, there are possible solid waste impacts that will have to be dealt with, even as landscape and aesthetics may also be affected.

“Pellew Island in its current underdeveloped state offers attractive scenery for viewers from all vantage points. The removal of vegetation from the island that is involved in these phases of the development may negatively alter the aesthetics in the area if not done with sensitivity,” the report said. “Construction camps and storage sites which will be located on the mainland may also have a major short-term impact in the area that has been described as one of the most scenic coastlines on the island.”

The EIA has, however, proposed a host of measures that may lessen the potential negative impacts, even as it has said that the effects on climate, air quality, soil and geology are expected to be limited.