La Cambuse hotel project halted until further notice

Currimjee Hospitality group and the “Aret kokin nu la plaz” platform are at loggerheads regarding the construction of a hotel at La Cambuse. Social activists from the “Aret kokin nu la plaz” coalition have been granted an injunction on Thursday before the Environmental Review Tribunal. The activists have been opposing the hotel development project ever since it was announced.

“This is a victory for environmentalists and the public interest,” said Yan Hookoomsing, spokesman for the AKNL platform, following the court’s decision. The ruling stipulates that no construction work is allowed in this region of the island before the final verdict of the court. 1,400 people had opposed the hotel project in the South-East of the country.

Georges Ah Yan and Bruno Savrimootoo appealed to the Environmental Review Tribunal on nine grounds against the Le Chaland Hotel project. The grounds of appeal are grouped as such: construction of a hotel outside a tourism zone, no proper hearing accorded by the District Council, ecological impact and private interest outweighing public interest as to the enjoyment of the public beach of La Cambuse. 

However, in a judgement of 26 December 2016, the tribunal chaired by V. Phoolchund-Bhadain who had as assessors Professor Toolseeram Ramjeawon and Pravin Manna set aside all the nine grounds of appeal of the ecologists.

In its press release, Currimjee Hospitality group stated that it will appeal against the injunction in the Supreme Court. “Last December the court upheld us in the case between Mr. Ah Yan and Mr. Savrimootoo in the District Council of Grand Port, by making its decision in favour of our hotel project against the false allegations of the opponents. 

Of the nine points of appeal, all were rejected by the Tribunal despite the fact that they had obtained a ‘stop order’ against our project.”

“The second case, opposing AKNL to the District Council of Grand Port, repeats almost the same accusations and is in the same line as the first case. We would like to recall that we have followed all the procedures in this development and to emphasize that respect for the environment is not the monopoly of opponents.”

“We are confident that justice will ultimately justify expertise and professionalism, as has happened in the first case, and that this long-awaited sustainable development project in the South will soon be a reality.”