Wednesday afternoon’s blaze at an abandoned garage in Dutch Quarter (see Thursday paper) was alarming. The terrain on Madrid Lane near a residential area has obviously become a dumpsite for car wrecks that create a serious environmental, health and safety hazard.
In fact, three fires had already occurred there in the past. To make matters worse, the flames are reportedly getting increasingly close to surrounding homes and other buildings.
Apart from exactly what causes these fires, several questions remain, starting with whether the land is privately owned or privately leased and by whom. It would also be interesting to know if there is a licensed business operating there.
The Dutch side sorely lacks effective zoning, but doesn’t an industrial activity like working on motor vehicles normally require a nuisance permit too? And in the unlikely event all papers are in order, shouldn’t occasional inspections by government take place to ensure conditions set are still being complied with?
Junkyards and related activities don’t belong in neighbourhoods where many people live, it’s as simple as that. Local authorities ought to do whatever is in their power to eliminate this type of potential source of pollution, disease or injury, and even death.
In the interest of the island’s currently struggling tourism economy also, St. Maarten perhaps more than ever badly needs to clean up its act.
