|
|
|
|
Last Updated: Feb 6, 2017 - 2:32:04 PM |
 TURKS & CAICOS - The popular Fish Fry, which has made headlines and received rave reviews
in several international media including CNN, has been ordered to move
from its present location in the Bight Park from March 5th, 2014.
Kathleen Wood, Director of the Department of Environment and Maritime
Affairs (DEMA) wrote a letter to Director of Tourism Ralph Higgs on
February 3rd stating that the Fish Fry must move because of complaints
about noise and cleanliness.
The letter which was obtained by The
SUN, stated: “We have now passed the one-year anniversary of the Fish
Fry, the Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs (DEMA) would
like to reflect on our agreement with the Tourist Board regarding the
Fish Fry’s use of the Bight Park. As you are aware, on 2nd December
2012, DEMA and the Tourist Board entered into a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to allow the Tourist Board to hold a Fish Fry event
at the Bight Park on Thursday evenings.
The conditions of the MoU
included, but were not limited to the following:
“1. DEMA agreed to
allow a suitable part of the Bight Park to be used for the Fish Fry,
subject to existing policies, rules and regulations governing the use of
the Park.
“2. The Tourist Board agreed to the following:
“a.
To ensure that the sound system is facing the sea and volume is
regulated in order not to disturb the public and nearby houses and
hotels;
“b. To maintain cleanliness and orderliness of the portion of the Park used for the Fish Fry;
“c. To pay the required user’s fee ($200/event) and an additional fee
of ($200/event) to cover the cost of electricity and water; and
“d. To ensure that all garbage generated from the event is properly removed immediately after the event.
“Regarding item (a), DEMA continues to get regular complaints about
noise from the surrounding businesses and residences, as far away from
the event as Blue Mountain. I have attended the event myself on a couple
of occasions and have noted that the speakers are not turned towards
the sea, as recommended above. Furthermore, the sound level is
unnecessarily deafening. In fact, the music is so loud that it is almost
impossible to carry on a conversation at the event.
“This level of
noise is unacceptable and represents a breach of both Park rules and
the terms of our MoU. Under the National Parks Ordinance, it is a
violation under Regulation 3(1)(p) to ‘[play] any musical instrument,
radio, cassette player, record player, television or any other item
which reproduces music, to the discomfort of other persons.’
“With
regard to items (b and d), a weekly inspection of the Park and
surrounding areas, after the Fish Fry event, has revealed that the
cleaning crews the Tourist Board is employing are not doing an adequate
job. While some trash is removed from the immediate parking lot area,
other debris is left in vegetation and along roadsides, often extending
along the Lower Bight Road and up Pratt’s Road.
“Furthermore, as
you are aware, vendors are dumping charcoal and cooking oil into
vegetated areas, which damages vegetation and leaves a foul odour.
Although the Tourist Board and DEMA have tried to remedy this problem on
several occasions, this behaviour continues.
“DEMA received payment
from the Tourist Board for one event in January 2013 and for four
events in February 2013, for a total of $2,000. We have not received any
payment from you since that time. The total outstanding is to date
$19,200 (48 weeks). I concede there were a couple of cancelled events
during that time, so the total outstanding may be slightly lower.
“DEMA recognizes that the Fish Fry event is an exceptional tourism venue
and we applaud the Tourist Board for devising this very successful and
important cultural event. However, the event is inconsistent with the
vision for the Bight Park, which was developed to be open to the public
during only daylight hours, and for quiet, ecotourism-based activities.
“The economic and physical cost to DEMA, the Bight Park and surrounding
communities has also been unacceptably high. As such, we cannot
continue to compromise the welfare of the Park and the community at
large for the sake of one event.
“DEMA therefore asks that the
Tourist Board immediately seek a new home for the Fish Fry, with a goal
of being completely out of the Park by 5th March 2014, in accordance
with the terms of our MoU. We wish you continued success with the Fish
Fry and remain available to assist in any capacity to ensure that this
transition is a smooth one.”
When contacted, Higgs noted that the
Tourist Board was doing all it could to ensure that all DEMA standards
and the MoU between the two entities were intact.
“We have persons
who clean the venue the night of the fish fry and we have people who
clean the venue the following morning. So we are happy with the effort,
and we intend the keep the fish fry venue clean,” Higgs said.
The
Director of Tourism was not prepared to state whether or not the Tourist
Board received the eviction notice from DEMA, only willing to indicate
that both entities exchange numerous correspondences each year,
including matters of Fish Fry. He said that in the event DEMA has any
concerns, his office would ensure that those concerns are addressed
promptly.
“We are always exchanging letters with DEMA on a number of
issues including issues about the fish fry; not necessarily condemning
issues. And we do our best to comply with any request or suggestions by
DEMA, to enhance the Fish Fry. The Fish Fry is a very popular event; it
is going from strength to strength. Any issues of concern, positive or
negative made by DEMA, the Board takes them on and does its best to
react to them,” Higgs said.
For her part, Wood said that she would
not be able to comment on whether or not DEMA had issued a letter to the
Tourist Board or the contents of the letter.
“I can’t comment on that right now,” Wood told The SUN.
In the meantime, the Tourism Director told The SUN that his office
sees DEMA as an important ally, and both offices plan to work together
in the interest of making Turks and Caicos Islands a more
environmentally friendly place.
“We see DEMA as our partner in pursuit of government business and we are working to have the fish fry continue,” Higgs said.
© Copyright 2014 by thebahamasweekly.com
Top of Page
|
|
|
|
