St Lucia resort cleans beach; secures bridge and river walls

SOUFRIERE, St Lucia -- While the developers await the completion of due process, which is hoped will inform the way forward for construction of the Freedom Bay ultra-luxe five-star eco-resort by Six Senses at Soufriere in Saint Lucia, efforts are being channeled into proactive environment action and championing environmental responsibility.

This is being achieved through remedial works on the Jalousie Road access bridge and advocating for responsible use of the Malgretoute beach at Soufriere.

These are but two of a number of ongoing social partnership initiatives spearheaded by Freedom Bay in close consultation with the Soufriere Regional Development Foundation.

Freedom Bay has embarked upon a project to reinforce the bridge along the Jalousie road connecting Baron’s Drive with Malgretoute. The project will also see remedial works undertaken to secure the eroding banks of the river running beneath that
bridge. Both river and bridge were rendered vulnerable from water damage during Hurricane Tomas in 2010. Much traversed by both vehicular and foot traffic, the bridge reinforcements are a benefit to those who live there or have cause to navigate that route.

A periodic beach clean-up scheduled by Freedom Bay has the aim of mitigating the effects of an absence of garbage collection receptacles on a beach that attracts steady foot and boat traffic. The Malgretoute beach is the anchor point for many a catamaran tour and by groups and individuals on weekends and holidays. The clean-up seeks to reinforce the national drive against using the islands beach areas as dumpsites.

Freedom Bay Saint Lucia CEO Wayne Girard said that the Six Senses resort management brand with which Freedom Bay is partnered is synonymous with environmental harmony. As such, wherever they have made an investment, the developers typically take the lead in promoting responsible waste disposal and sustainable use of the natural environment both for public health and for preservation of the natural aesthetics.

According to Girard, temporary signage has been placed on the beach exhorting users to cart away their refuse. It is hoped that the signage will empower the Soufriere people themselves to demand greater responsibility from non- Soufriere users who use the area.

“The plan is to create a new culture among the users. We’re helping engender a spirit of responsibility and ownership, more so in light of the investments we will make for public access and in due course providing public facilities,” Girard said.

SRDF CEO Walter Francois said, “These are projects that needed to be tackled, so the support of Freedom Bay is certainly a value-added to the efforts of the Foundation.”

Positioned as a major social partner in Soufriere since 2009, Freedom Bay continues to play an active role in the life of the town it hopes will host the first Six Senses managed resort in the Americas.

Over the last two years in particular, Freedom Bay has continued to respond to number of needs in the Town. A significant contribution was the contribution of EC$1 million towards the construction of the Comfort Bay retirement Home at Vieux Fort. Last month the company sponsored the hosting of Soufriere Jazz in the category of Platinum Sponsor. Six months earlier, the development made it possible for the SRDF to host its own Festival of Lights to the tune of $13,000. Currently support remains ongoing for the refurbishment of the Soufriere cricket grounds, as the development positions the town to host the much anticipated Andrew Strauss Cricket Academy.