Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves says farmers who till the soil in Richmond and would have been affected by the new quarry development would be dealt with fairly by the government.
Gonsalves said the farmers affected would have leased land from the government and are very hard-working people.
On Wednesday, 2 February, Gonsalves said dealing with farmers has to be done urgently before the development can go on.
“Farmers would be compensated for their crops. However, it would be good to see if there are alternative lands for continued farming”.
“For those persons who would be affected, I want to say, have a little patience. If some persons in the public service who should have started discussions have not, don’t be upset with us, but we will make sure things are okay”.
In an interview with online publication IWitness News, many farmers voiced their displeasure with how the development is taking place.
Speaking on NBC radio, Gonsalves said individuals were right to ensure that consultations were held with them.
Quarry Proposals For Richmond SVG
“There is this quarry in Richmond, we had a proposal from some French people some time ago, and that did not get very far. However, there were environmental impact studies that were already done”.
“So now there are some new investors out of St Lucia, so I have been advised, and Julian Francis Ministry is the one that has been pushing this, well when he was Minister of Works, and it continues with Minister Montgomery Daniel”.
“I understand all the planning approvals are in place, but before anything happens, the matter has to go to the chief surveyor, while the Ministry of Agriculture was supposed to provide a review which they have done”.
We may be about six months before any significant work begins, Gonsalves said.
The Need For Quarrying In SVG
“We badly needed this particular quarry because, as you know, a lot of the capital projects are being held up, construction of roads and housing projects as well due to lack of material”.
“Everywhere you go, people for environmental reasons don’t want to have a quarry; remember when we tried to do one at Gibson Corner, and it ran into difficulties because of the way the wind was going to blow? People in Montrose said they would be affected”.
“Every time you want to put down any plant, you have some sought of difficulties; however, there is an extensive set of quarry material to be mind in Richmond. It does not create problems with people living nearby, but it creates difficulties with farmers who have leased lands”.
Quarry Owners Rayneau Group of Companies
The Richmond quarry will be operated by Rayneau Group of Companies from St Lucia.
Managed by Rayneau Gajadhar, the company is the largest locally-owned construction and industrial products conglomerate in Saint. Lucia.
The conglomerate consists of Construction & Industrial Equipment (CIE) Ltd., RG Quarry Ltd, Rayneau Construction and Industrial Products (RCIP) Ltd & Rayneau Rentals & Sales Ltd.
According to media reports, the Rayneau Group of Companies made regional headlines in 2017 when workers were performing welding work on the top of a container containing dynamite when it exploded.
The explosion, according to records, showed that three persons were killed and 20 hospitalised following the blast at a Rayneau Construction-operated quarry in Cul de Sac, Castries, St Lucia.
Rayneau Group of Companies was granted a Thirty-Year mining licence.
Richmond is situated on the Northwest coast of St Vincent at the foothills of the La Soufriere volcano.
