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Letter from Atwood/Gibson to Mr. Peter Hodgson.
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To Peter Hodgson, January 18, 2007
Dear Peter:
I apologize for my tardiness in replying to yours of January 12. The wrap-up of the Key West Seminar and our return to Toronto was a bit hectic.
I want first to assure you that we don't feel that anyone intends to stimulate outrage, or that we feel that emotion ourselves. While hamstrung by your relationship with the Government of Grenada and Mr Pemberton, a relationship which obviously leaves you with little to convey other than an optimistic faith that all will be well, Four Seasons (in the person of yourself) has at least been responding to our enquiries.
I'm also tardy because we have been trying to sort out the implications of your news that Dr. Jessamy's report "is not, in fact, the environmental assessment and was never meant to be taken as such…"
In Box 10 on the Report's first page, entitled "Project/Task/Work Unit Number," the document is clearly described as an Environmental Assessment. In Box 13 on the same page, under "Type of Report & Period Covered," we find the word FINAL in bold letters.
The Report, therefore, describes itself as the final version of an Environmental Assessment. Moreover, the document has been sent out for review by the Government of Grenada to three well-known German ornithologists, which is what one does with such work. As you can imagine, we are puzzled by the apparent contradictions here.
We ask ourselves: what exactly is/was Dr. Jessamy's report, who is doing the current EIA, and when it will be finished?
If Dr. Jessamy's Environmental Assessment is not THE Environmental Impact Assessment, the current development plan could be ditched as a result of an independent and objective EIA. From the scientific evidence and opinion that we have seen, there is a very strong chance that the development, as described in a variety of publications, would not pass such an independent EIA.
And yet Mr Pemberton has been quoted as saying that construction will begin in the next few months. One report has him saying it will begin in March. If he said either, he will have made a nonsense of whatever Environmental Assessment is currently underway. Which is, as I'm sure you will agree, not reassuring.
But it is hard to know what to make of Mister Pemberton. According to two news releases focusing on him and his partner, (see URLS below), HBOS is supposed to be providing a US$250 million banking facility to the developer. Mr. Pemberton has apparently said he signed such a loan agreement. HBOS, which is signed up to the Equator Principles, say they "have never had an involvement in this project." This obviously raises a number of potentially important questions, one of which is whether Mr. Pemberton has the funds lined up or not.
In the same vein, a reporter has told me that Michael Pemberton assured him that the project was a done deal, whereas a spokesman for the other development partner told the same reporter that no deal has been signed yet for environmental and other reasons, but that they hope to sign one in the next two/three months.
When you combine our above-mentioned concerns with the aloofness of Four Season's position, whether chosen or not, and with the absence of any response from Mr. Pemberton or the Government of Grenada, and the resultant lack of substantive details on this contentious and increasingly emotional issue, you must understand that we can not share your faith that the Mt. Hartman development as currently proposed will not be a disaster for the Grenada Dove and its habitat, along with the other vulnerable species that depend upon this important Sanctuary.
Sincerely,
Graeme
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Margaret Atwood & Graeme Gibson
Joint Honorary Presidents
BirdLife International's Rare Bird Club
The web article URLs that mention HBOS are pasted below.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2095-2382619,00.html
http://www.caribbeanpressreleases.com/articles/540/1/British-Duo-Build-New-Millionaires-Playground-in-Barbados-and-Grenada/Development-value-put-at-16-billion.html
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