Tourism and Investment Minister Dr Ernest Hilaire, on March 30th, addressed mounting public concern surrounding the proposed Selene Marriott Hotel Project at Vigie Beach, outlining the background to the development and the Government’s response to issues raised.
Speaking amid growing scrutiny from residents and stakeholders, Hilaire clarified that the land earmarked for the project was not sold under the current administration.
“The land was not purchased under the Saint Lucia Labour Party,” he stated. “The land was sold to the developers under the United Workers’ Party for the express purpose of building a hotel.”
He added that the Government has had to manage the project as inherited.
“Of course, we inherit it, so we have to deal with it,” Hilaire said, noting that the sale of the land included the “King’s Chain,” a provision intended to preserve public access to the coastline.
According to the Minister, early designs submitted by the developers posed concerns regarding beach access.
“The designers designed a hotel that virtually occupied all the lands that they bought,” he explained. “We had to point out to them, you cannot occupy the king’s chain, you cannot go so far, because Saint Lucia needs access to the beaches.”
Hilaire said the developers were instructed to revise their plans accordingly.
“We told them you have to move it backwards, so they moved it backwards by about 100 feet,” he noted. “To keep the same number of rooms, they went higher. So, it is now a smaller footprint, but a higher building.”
However, he acknowledged that this adjustment has created new concerns, particularly for nearby residents.
“In building it higher, it is affecting a couple houses at the back,” he said. “You can understand how the developers feel, because you cannot now say to them you cannot go so tall when they bought the land and designed based on what they understood.”
Hilaire also revealed that several technical and environmental issues have been raised during public consultations.
“Issues were raised such as sewerage, generation of power, traffic management, access to the beach, a lot of issues were raised,” he stated.
He confirmed that the Government has instructed the project’s designers to revisit the plans and address these concerns.
“We said to the designers to go back, take all those matters into consideration and come back again with responses to the questions raised by the public and residents,” Hilaire said. “I am going to wait to see what the designers come back with.”
The Minister’s comments come as debate continues over the potential impact of the development on the surrounding community and environment, with many residents calling for careful consideration before any final approvals are granted.