[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hat was meant to be a membership meeting of the Saint Lucia National Trust turned out to be an impassioned discussion and debate between members and presenters. The reasons for a large attendance to the first Trust meeting of the year stemmed from the proposed Dolphin Park in Pigeon Island National Park, Desert Star Holdings Limited: Pearl of the Caribbean Project, and other projects that the Trust has been working on for years nsuch as Walcott House. The highlight of the gathering was the presentation and discussion with Dolphin Discovery Inc. and Mr. Ausbert D’Auvergne of Trident Consulting. Members blatantly spoke against a dolphinarium in PINL or any other part of the island.
A presentation on the importance and value of Ma Kote mangrove was given, which led to the discussion of the potential causeway between Maria Island Nature Reserve and Vieux Fort.
To conclude the meeting it was decided that the Trust with aid of the public would do what is necessary to prevent the building of a causeway from Vieux Fort to Maria Island and to investigate the legality of ongoing DSH works without a completed EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment). All in attendance agreed that the cons weighed out the pros for the proposed dolphin park.
