22 The Daily News. September 06. 2001 p.22 Opinion



Politics swirl around Botany Bay


O( we Laer.i savT gi i, s ail h,
aY naikhiiingi itdhma. He lhts
-.9 CLive
Recently. In Mills. the Office of
%lMagement and ODute diietor. geo
scanaors amlion when he slnd."ur.
the proofof ihe economic rcvitalia-
ion in she cionry can he t n in thie
ph editicomrunladnciftheBow Bay
Resort develonm eni mtd a $2.00
million." Does this mean the governor
of the Virgin Islanis already gave his
blessing a controversial developmen
yet to g a popenni o build?
The former estate of Warren H.
Corning, known locally as Botany
Bay on he west end of Si I homas.
was purclhaled i.e year by a groupof
investor calling themieclve Atlantic
Land Hlolding1. LIT But from the
%cry beginning, she developers nis-
rqrewiciti heir intention to govem-
=nsisfflinils civic ground. ni uii-
i-nlal ipaia/iin. .ind the neigh-
hlst in he dhe Botany Bay area.
Bflany Bay is one of the IX Aweas
of Particular ('cr.m to it. I Ily
lt was appro-cl in ihe early I"t'
by ihe Icylisns it anl iwiedul iouo law
hy fnmar Gov. Alexander A. Fanily.
The purpose of ihe APCS is ho protect
a hea in she Virgin Island lbr as cul-
tural. historical. cnvoiaMnicial. 1naur-
al. recreational and marine, r our'cs.
The areas thai an significant in
IBotany Bay include two skies listed an
ihe Nationl Regist of Historic Pbe:
Sbr sites norinaseo asignficant nofier-
alrau dIheLeadesdpgaedaspan ofthe
Virgn Islands Terriio al Park Sysicm
W andhe surn ding waen offhe a is
propo as a rritorial min pok y
ham
Eardylthis ycrWdhamil Kar,anahi-
Ier andiwcplascadiwofihedesclopes,
mated. "We wanted to get people out
thee who dal with pcmink and env-
rnmenial issues so we could adaft eur
plr" IBi those a the Dotany Bay site
by Kan's invitation found ou that the
de- wpenm addinixd a plan Ianr dwn
whls they mhad beenrokI in another wanri
ihedevelopeier wantedlogetIthebissing


Spru tyal which lime the deficencies
would he subllinted.
'this is nothing It politic& As you
Sknow.a, xiaor has niponsporarcma
0ow n0 ting bill or the Bolany Bay property.
SSetm CLsin A. Whir already jumped
on die bandwagon hatl the DBamiy Bay
puja is his. He atl "It isWhiiand
While will do the gisglatlio to approve
the project"
SHer again. the community will be
orthe people. The plan submied to the draped imoanad r
Plannheg and ie ural Ris Rxesit l isd.e Ih can he avoided ifthe iMnt
meat called for a 300-unit hotel. two ofthe deveperantd poliacinus are
stOrants. 25 vili. 55 condominiumsin. shful to he people ft.e idaan
Il) lin we- unit. tienniscourt ard41 In accordance with Title 29. An-
liquidee and Culural Prinoplies Act
1__ 0 o__ o f 199& .Scion '9 that the offlioc 6
historic psecivamn of PNRK holki he
In other Word, the wilicd vaehlly and in writing orf y
dlopel~nars 101IN-i WA arsrtiies removed from thc Boany Day
velope wanted property. rThis t lii done by the
gt the bleSSing Of teachaytci.rlatm.ethchehisocrigemar-
the people. Tie plan nation office found out about alunilit;s
submitted to the W aing l aItln a a pooin
A lttcr svhnii eid hy Sti. dllah
Planning and Natural tDoi.,r to Se. Iuiniu. uihed
Resources Departsment Fdi 22. 20ani. nnir.-dia priaic din-
called for a 300-unit hotel, c"r ,1ing wihi ihe 241h L.ulu .
two retsuan S 25 villas, wit T kip t r, of ihe eBoty oay
55 condonriniuTns, 80 and en scnai or PNR oflicls w
time*Slshaf Units, tennis areactuallyinvolved with iheprnnmaing
courts and 41 houses on poon .-anw int (,,Ooa ,idel
be dnirer.
a 3 -wcme property, sen. D ton i hnity msaed in his
Ietle. wlilc he wax not involved in the
houleseons34aeproperty. Thispr m ietig. hetihsilat wsinppiprai.le
posed development minsors mt of the fo aty goareinitrn lie iato e aoy
Beal Deal on SL Choix ins I9 when the the hlospitlihy ofdclopos undC such
develpenr almsl fooled the entire coven citiumasl'"Belie me. Ihes
Virgin Ilaids popletbyno lingtheir are a lots of things happening behind
itre imaenions for the Great Pond Bay cdse doors politically.
he. Proves over again Ihatsome gv.
The application submitted by the ernment officials don's cmr about the
Idevelopecs for sBoany Bay to Planning people of Virgin Islands except for
and Natural Resources had many def- money in Iheir pockets
cincies. The desvelper wre tld by In spic of ithe uphill bale hoa pmtct
PNR officials to make the cornecions tu tay ay systems I clicoural ehce
before it could be considered again. poplcofdmlhe iland io write tiirs
However. instead of making the cor- atom not to gran the srooning to Ihe
rcctions. the developers decided to wt- Botany Day project Irpossiblc battks
quesl a permit to rezone poofth e anbepossibeviciariot