Our Readers' Opinions
January 22, 2013
Canash…The Whole Truth (Part 1)

Tue, Jan 22, 2013

Editor: Over the weekend, I came across video on the popular social network Facebook that featured the deplorable conditions of Canash beach that is located around the corner from Calliaqua heading the the Windward side of the island.{{more}}

While I was pleased that this video, which was posted by a so called community activist whose name I do not wish to mention, exposed the present conditions of the beach, I was very disturbed that the information given in the video and the comments which followed were erroneous and appeared to be politically malicious.

The creator of the video, which can be seen by anyone, made claims that Canash was a tourist resort seemingly abandoned by the government. Other claims include that there was a major hotel in the background, about 80 rooms available for tourists, and 80 yachts docked in the bay at any time. This information is clearly misleading to anyone, local or foreign, who does not know of the area. The truth about Canash is it has never been a resort. The word resort, in simplest terms, is a popular place for vacations or recreation, but when one thinks of a tourist resort, we think of places such as Buccament, Young Island and places of such calibre of which Canash has never been close.
 

Villa and Indian Bay are much more popular tourist sites and many do not even consider those areas as resorts. Canash has always been a popular picnic area for locals. Visitors, even from the yachts docked right in the bay, rarely, if ever, go there. There are no major hotels in the Canash area. Canash is located adjacent to SunSail and there are apartment buildings in the area. I am however skeptical that there are 80 rooms available.
 

I, having lived in the area for 25 years, have never seen 80 yachts in the bay. Upon requesting evidence of the numbers quoted by the creator of the video, I was banned from further commenting on the video. Canash has been a dumping ground for old boats for over 15 years. It is not a recent problem and it does need to be addressed. I must however warn that in any attempt to have Canash or any other area cleaned up, the full truth of the situation must be given. When one tries to make a government look bad, they also make the country look bad. As a Vincentian, that is unacceptable.

Shar Maine