The destruction of Maracas

THE EDITOR: On July 29 I passed through Maracas Bay on my return from a hike in the Northern Range. I had not been to Maracas for over a year while the so-called improvements were in progress. The best description I can give for what I saw is a “disaster zone.” There is nothing that qualifies for the term improvement or upgrade. It was a Sunday afternoon, which meant crowding was at its worst.

Coming from the east the first thing seen is a sea of vehicles, some parked in the new car park, many on both sides of the road, though there are “no parking” signs. A few policemen tried to locate the owners of the cars who just stopped in the road and got out to buy “something cold.” There were vehicles parked as far as the eye could see, causing a near bottleneck in one area.

The seashore was starved for space by rental chairs and beach umbrellas under the control of touts. Gone are the days when you just went to the beach and sat and enjoyed it.

I looked in dismay at the location where I personally had planted 43 coconut trees for the Field Naturalists’ Club. The space was now largely taken over by a container and equipment for the works, so only about 12 trees remain. More business for the touts.

There is a string of vendor sheds just behind the sparse coconuts, which I had been assured by a consultant in the Ministry of Tourism were to be demolished since they were built too near to the beach that should rightfully be left pristine and unbuilt.

The entire concept has been lost to expediency. What had originally been seen as a plan to take the road far into the swamp and away from the beach, leaving space for an enormous car park and removing the obstruction caused by cars illegally parking on the roads, has been lost.

With the confusion caused by these inconsiderate motorists, there is no relief for people heading to and from Las Cuevas and Blanchisseuse.

Did nobody think of beautifying the development with some ornamental shade trees to lessen the awful vista of endless car tops which dominates the view inland? If the road went around the back and roadside parking was prevented more effectively there would be no need to wait for families to cross any road to get to the sea.

Our once beautiful Maracas has been lost and it is ridiculous to suggest any tourist, having already spent the cost of an airfare to get to the country, would want to be anywhere near such an unpleasant crowded area, the exact opposite of what they came to see on this side of the Atlantic.

REG POTTER, Glencoe