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The government is looking to ban the mining of sand on beaches in SVG. (iWN file photo)
The government is looking to ban the mining of sand on beaches in SVG. (iWN file photo)
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Vincentians could see the price of sand for construction increase as the government moves to ban sand mining on the beaches of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Minister of Works, Sen. Julian Francis told a press conference on Monday that there is a renewed discussion on sand mining in St. Vincent.

“We took some decisions some years ago and those decisions were not carried out in full. The importation of sand is a significant increase in the cost of sand: very expensive.

“But we cannot continue to mine the beaches in St. Vincent, particularly so Brighton and Diamond,” he said.

He said that the state-owned Roads Bridges and General Service Authority (BRAGSA), which falls under his ministry, will be at the centre of producing construction sand.

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“In fact, a lot of the sand which was used at Argyle for concrete construction was crushed sand, construction sand washed from Rabacca.”

He said that by Wednesday — presumably at Cabinet — some final decision will be made and he would then speak more about the issue.

“But it looks like we are going to open back up the importation of sand so you can expect that the private sector people who are going to do that would want to make a dollar off it and the cost of sand is going to go up. It will affect the construction industry. But the government will look closely as to how best to handle this,” Francis said.

One reply on “Sand price could increase as gov’t relooks importation”

  1. But the government are the only entity that has been mining sand from beaches. They are the culprits who have brought areas in Diamond and Brighton to the near dangerous point of inland inundation by the sea.

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