Fort George, Grenada. Photo source: © Ealasaid
Excerpts; Sand mining has had a devastating impact on Grenada’s beaches and coastline. Rapid growth in tourism, building of private homes and businesses, and road construction have markedly increased the demand for sand. The removal of sand and stones to fuel this demand has resulted in substantial ecological degradations. The new NNP government’s decision to reverse the 2009 ban on sand mining, is a move that will undo all beach and coastline recovery realized during prohibition instituted by the previous NDC government. In Grenada, 100% of the fine aggregate used in construction is sand, and in the interest of minimizing cost, builders have resorted to mining beach sand… The reversal of the sand mining ban is meant as a stimulus action to benefit the country’s construction sector. But they are choosing to ignore the overwhelming evidence that beach sand mining has been both environmentally and economically costly to Grenada. The long-term cost to the country as a whole, to mitigate or rectify the damage that is created, will surely cancel the short-term benefits brought to the construction industry, and in many cases may be irreversible… Read Full Article, Grenada Forum Sand mining returning to Grenada, NewsToday, Grenada Grenada’s two months old New National Party (NNP) administration of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell will turn to beach sand mining on the island in an effort to boost the local construction industry. The mining of local beach sand was halted in January 2009 by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration of Prime Minister Tillman Thomas…
