Page 13 - AHATA

A6 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 28 February 2024
A retired teacher and marine biologist fighting the government win

an appeal to protect Barbuda land

By DÁNICA COTO government, the Barbuda
Associated Press Council and PLH (Barbuda)
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Ltd., established by U.S. bil-
— A top court in London lionaire John Paul DeJo-
ruled Tuesday that two resi- ria, co-founder of the Paul
dents of the tiny Caribbean Mitchell hair products com-
island of Barbuda have the pany. Also involved is U.S.-
right to challenge construc- based Discovery Land Co.,
tion of an airstrip that critics founded by Michael Meld-
say endangers fragile eco- man of Casamigos Tequila.
systems and was begun The companies plan to
without any permits. build 495 upscale homes,
The ruling by the Privy an 18-hole golf course, a
Council is considered a big beach club and a natu-
win for John Mussington, a ral gas storage facility on
marine biologist, and Jack- more than 600 acres (240
lyn Frank, a retired teacher, hectares) of protected
who launched a legal fight wetland.
against the government The developers began
of the twin-island nation of Hotel clubs and homes stand on Princess Diana beach in Barbuda, Antigua and Barbuda, Oct. work on the airstrip around
Antigua and Barbuda in 23, 2023, six years after Hurricane Irma slammed into the tiny Caribbean island as a powerful September 2017, after the
July 2018. Category 5 storm. government evacuated
“The fact that this ruling Associated Press the entire island of Barbuda
comes almost seven years tions. economic opportunities Charles as its head of state following Hurricane Irma, a
after John first discovered The government of Antigua following a catastrophe or and the Privy Council as its Category 5 storm that was
the bulldozing of the for- and Barbuda had argued national disaster. final court of appeal. the strongest hurricane
est is no coincidence,” that Mussington and Frank A spokesperson for the of- One Privy Council judge, ever observed in the open
said Sarah O’Malley, an at- were “busybodies” who fice of Prime Minister Gas- David Hope, argued that Atlantic.
torney with the U.K.-based had no standing to mount ton Browne and a represen- environmental issues can Construction began with-
nonprofit Global Legal Ac- a legal fight. tative for the development be raised by someone out an environmental im-
tion Network, which helped Mussington said the ruling did not respond to messag- even if they are not person- pact assessment or a li-
attorneys representing the would have “significant es seeking comment about ally affected by a certain cense from the Barbuda
Barbudians. “Environmen- implications for citizens of the decision.The ruling by action. He gave an exam- Council to clear forest,
tal activists around the Antigua and Barbuda who the Privy Council allows the ple of construction of wind according to Global Legal
globe are often bogged have long been suffering two Barbudians to chal- turbines on a route used by Action Network. In addi-
down with procedural im- from the lack of transparen- lenge an April 2021 deci- an osprey. tion, there were no public
pediments making litiga- cy and accountability from sion by the Court of Appeal “The osprey has no means meetings notifying anyone
tion costly and time-con- key institutions and officials of the Eastern Caribbean of taking that step on its of the construction, and an
suming, a subterfuge em- charged with implement- Supreme Court that found own behalf, any more than application for a develop-
ployed by those destroying ing the planning laws.” the residents were not al- any other wild creature. If ment permit wasn’t submit-
the environment for their The ruling also is expected lowed to take legal action its interests are to be pro- ted until after construction
own profit.” to set a precedent for oth- against the government. tected, someone has to be began. About 400 acres
However, O’Malley said er Caribbean nations fight- While Antigua and Barbu- allowed to speak on its be- (160 hectares) that is home
the decision would make it ing to protect land that da obtained its indepen- half,” he wrote. to the Barbuda fallow deer
easier for “all who seek to wealthy foreign investors dence from the U.K. in 1981, The ongoing airport con- and red-footed tortoise al-
protect nature” to legally seek to develop, especially it remains under a constitu- struction on Barbuda is ready have been cleared
challenge government ac- when investors seize upon tional monarchy with King part of a deal involving the to build the airport.q

Latvia extends an entry ban on Russian tourists until March 2025

citing Moscow’s war in Ukraine

HELSINKI (AP) — Latvia’s government has extended restrictions on the entry of poses of tourism and lei- Russian citizens coming
Russian citizens into the Bal- sure, the government said to their countries to pre-
tic country until next year, in a statement. vent alleged security risks
citing Moscow’s full-scale However, some Russians amid Russia’s war in nearby
invasion of Ukraine which will be permitted to enter, Ukraine.
officials say is “still posing a including those with resi- NATO member Latvia, a
threat to the internal secu- dence permits valid in Lat- country of 1.9 million peo-
rity of Latvia.” via or another EU member ple that borders Russia, is
The Cabinet of Prime Min- state, or Russians whose home to a sizable ethnic
ister Evika Siliņa decided entry is related to humani- Russian minority that makes
Tuesday to lengthen the tarian considerations like up about 25% of the coun-
entry conditions on Russian political dissidents. try’s population. The Baltic
citizens until March 4, 2025. In September 2022, Poland Sea nation previously has
Russian citizens will contin- and the Baltic states Esto- been a popular vacation
ue to be banned from en- nia, Latvia and Lithuania venue and its capital, Riga,

A view of Riga, Latvia, Sept. 5, 2023. tering Latvia, a European reached a joint agreement a popular weekend desti-
Associated Press Union country, for the pur- to restrict the numbers of nation for Russian tourists.q