Dear Source:
In response to Mr. Miller's assertions that the Reliance/Calabash project is ill conceived, I would respectfully like to take exception.
There is no doubt that the Calabash project is needed. We have too few affordable units on St John now. The fact that a portion of the units will be sold as "affordable housing" is also an advantage to those fortunate enough to have the purchasing power but I would regret a scenario where outsiders were to purchase these units and then turn them around for profit. That would be counter-productive to the intent of building them and hopefully the Reliance management, along with the Virgin Islands funding agency, has, by covenant, prohibited such practices. We need to have LOCAL ownership.
True, there are few services in the area where the Calabash project is being built (save a defunct, empty convenience store) but this does not have to be. With all the enterprise going on in Coral Bay these days and given that there are a few existing stores within driving distance, a shopping area and recreational facilities could easily be built or existing stores could be modified to serve the new housing residents. The people who would move into Calabash understand where they are moving to and in most cases, I would assume, they prefer living away from the hustle and traffic to the serenity of "the country" simply to make their lives less stressful and safer.
The Calabash project will be providing a certain amount of recreational facilities but much more could be done if children or young adults will be living there. All in all it's a great concept and in my opinion and services will come naturally. To consider the project as being "dis-functional" is premature at best.
I was dismayed that the St John CZM prohibited the RO plant, as the east end is prone to dry spells. For years, people in Coral Bay wanted a water production plant but could not get WAPA to do anything about it. To have a private development be deprived of one seems strange as I feel the environmental issues could have been worked out knowing the fine job that Reliance has shown us so far through the successful Bellevue project (which, by the way, has no nearby services). Hopefully, this beneficial project will get going soon.
Paul Devine
St John
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