The Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association (SLHTA) has lodged a formal objection to a proposed quarry development in Anse La Raye, warning that the project could deal a severe blow to the country’s sustainable tourism industry, coastal ecosystems, and local livelihoods.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to Ms. Karen Augustin, Chief Physical Planning Officer at the Department of Physical Development and Urban Renewal, the SLHTA expressed its “unequivocal support” for the objections to the proposed quarry site in Anse Cochon.
“The project, if approved, poses an imminent and irreversible threat to responsible tourism development, the livelihoods of hundreds of Saint Lucians employed in the area, and the fragile marine ecosystems that underpin our island’s sustainable tourism model,” the SLHTA stated.
The SLHTA’s objection argues that the quarry proposal may contravene several national laws and policy frameworks governing environmental management and sustainable development.
Citing the Physical Planning and Development Act No. 29 of 2001, the Association noted that any development likely to cause “significant adverse environmental effects”, particularly near designated marine reserves, requires a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The Anse Cochon area, which forms part of the Soufriere Marine Management Area (SMMA), is considered one of Saint Lucia’s most ecologically sensitive marine zones and a key attraction for divers and eco-tourists.
The SLHTA further pointed to the Saint Lucia National Environment Policy (NEP) and National Environmental Management Strategy (NEMS), arguing that approving the quarry would violate the precautionary principle, which mandates avoiding actions that could cause irreversible environmental harm.
“Approving this quarry would violate the precautionary principle given the known seismic, acoustic, and ecological impacts… which could degrade this ecologically sensitive zone permanently,” the letter reads.
The Association warned that the quarry’s approval would undermine Saint Lucia’s Sustainable Tourism Policy (2013), which prioritizes investment in environmentally responsible and socially equitable development.
The proposed site lies just about a half mile away from Ti Kaye Resort.
“The proposed quarry offers the antithesis; a limited number of low-wage jobs concentrated in a single extractive entity, at the cost of dozens of hospitality-sector jobs, millions in tourism-related revenue, and the destruction of a key node in our destination marketing,” the SLHTA wrote.
The letter also highlighted the potential damage to emerging initiatives such as underwater sculpture parks, which are designed to support sustainable tourism, marine conservation, and climate education. Quarry activity, the SLHTA warned, would introduce sedimentation that could “suffocate coral reefs” and erode the value of these conservation-driven tourism assets.
The SLHTA described Ti Kaye Resort as “a beacon of what sustainable, community-rooted tourism should look like,” commending its employment practices, environmental stewardship, and contributions to local culture and education.
“The approval of this quarry threatens to shutter a flagship business and send a chilling message to future investors in the sustainable tourism domain,” the Association cautioned.
Rhe tourism agency urged the Development Control Authority (DCA) to reject the quarry application outright and to undertake a comprehensive environmental, social, and economic impact review, one that includes meaningful participation from civil society and marine conservation experts.
“Saint Lucia’s long-term prosperity cannot be traded for short-term extractive gains,” the SLHTA asserted. “The irreversible damage to the SMMA, Ti Kaye, and the entire Anse Cochon coastal economy will constitute a national development misstep, contrary to the Saint Lucia Climate Resilience Strategy and the country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement.”
The letter was signed by Noorani Azeez, Chief Executive Officer of the SLHTA, who reaffirmed the organization’s readiness to collaborate with authorities and stakeholders “to ensure economic development is aligned with environmental integrity and community well-being.”
Residents and the business community at a recent town hall meeting with the consultants conducting the EIA rejected the idea of another quarry in the community citing health and safety concerns, in addition to environmental and social concerns.
For its part, the DCA has confirmed receipt of the application but stressed, “Approval has not been granted for such a development as yet.”
