One has to give credit to independent parliamentarian Maurice Lake for at least coming up with ideas regularly, which is more than can be said about many of his colleagues in the legislature. Lake’s latest proposal (see Saturday paper) is to review
the so-called Hillside Policy.
The current coalition partner believes the 20-year-old regulation is outdated, as a lot has changed. He would like the Minister to tackle especially the clause that sets the minimum distance from the hilltop where construction is allowed and to be more realistic about building code restrictions.
The policy is about trying to preserve the environment, but also one of St. Maarten’s prime natural resources. After all, together with its white sandy beaches, abundant sunshine, crystal blue sea and lagoons, the green hills are an important part of what makes the island attractive for visitors.
Nothing is written in stone, so there can always be an evaluation, but perhaps the elected representative would do well to first find out whether the policy actually was enforced strictly on a consistent basis, to what extent there may have been violations and whether exemptions were granted. Such an exercise is certainly called for, because to the naked eye it seems as though a lot more structures have appeared pretty close to the hilltops since then.
An aspect not to be overlooked is the role of vegetation in retaining water as it flows down the slope during heavy rains. Experience has shown that clearing too much of the hilltop increases the risk of flooding below.
The Hillside Policy was instituted for good reason. At first sight the need for such has only grown over the past two decades.
