A gathering at the boatyard near the Cadisco gas station in Sandy Ground on Tuesday afternoon celebrated the end of the boat wreck removal operation undertaken on both sides of the island by Koole Contractors. In photo: Three of several local young men employed by Koole during the boat wrecks removal operation stand in front of 61 tons of debris removed from the waters of Marina Port La Royale. It was understood the debris will be transported to the Netherlands for processing. (Robert Luckock photo)
~ Irma decree prohibiting navigation to be lifted ~
MARIGOT--A gathering to celebrate the end of the boat wreck removal operation undertaken on both sides of the island by Koole Contractors took place at the boatyard near the Cadisco gas station in Sandy Ground on Tuesday afternoon.
President Louis Mussington, Vice-President Bernadette Davis and Senator Annick Pétrus were joined by Préfet Vincent Berton and Koole Contractors Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Paul Koole, Department for Prevention and Management of Major Risks Director Christophe Lieb, and the European Commission representative who was following the project for INTERREG, M. Leclerc.
Some 212 wrecks, including hazardous waste, were removed and processed since the start of the project on the French side on May 31 with the support of INTERREG-Caribbean and European regional development funds (ERDF).
Due to the identification of 72 more wrecks than the original 140 listed, three amendments were made to the public contract and finally the cost of the operation was 7,226,600 euros. The project was financed 80% by the ERDF Interreg-Caribbean fund for the benefit of both sides of the island; an example of successful cross-border cooperation.
The Grandes Cayes eco-site collected 3,230 tons of waste, 54% of which was recycled. The dredging of Marina Port La Royale waters by a Koole barge over one week produced 61 tons of debris alone and increased the depth of the draft.
In addition to Simpson Bay Lagoon, Oyster Pond Marina and the Baie Nettle ocean shoreline were also subjects of complete cleaning, as well as other sites.
“This work is part of a vast project of renaissance for the lagoon and its surroundings. It will be followed by an environmental management plan to serve the territory and its development,” said Berton.
Mussington praised Koole’s professionalism, the Department of Major Risks for its supervision of the project, and the teams of the Collectivité, the State and European Union for their productive collaboration.
“I am happy, tonight, to see that this beautiful lagoon so dear to us, near which I grew up in my neighbourhood of St. James, is once again safe and welcoming, for the enjoyment of all our compatriots and visitors,” declared Mussington.
