SOUFRIERE, Saint Lucia – There is no reason why the Caribbean cannot lead the world in climate friendly practices – and attract more visitors because of it, asserted a Saint Lucian boutique hotelier.
Speaking ahead of Earth Day this Sunday, April 22, Eroline Lamontagne, general manager of Fond Doux Holiday Plantation in Soufrière, St. Lucia said environmental protection and conservation were not only imperatives for the Caribbean, but also very good business sense.
The general manager of the Green Globe certified plantation resort recalled the 1994 United Nations Global Conference on Small Island Developing States in Barbados when the international community examined the special needs of small island states – from sea level rise to natural disasters.
“The Barbados Program of Action, agreed by the countries of the world at that conference, should be our Bible,” she preached, asserting all St. Lucian and Caribbean hotels ought to “use Earth Day to highlight what sustainable programs they initiated or enhanced during the year.”
“We must end the lip service and emerge as the world’s foremost destination for the development of green technology,” added Lamontagne who believes that “our climate friendly moves will attract a lot more environmentally aware visitors.”
Fond Doux Holiday Plantation adheres closely to the spirit of eco-building and cultural preservation. Rescued from demolition, Fond Doux maintains intricate French Colonial wooden buildings more than 100 years old. The buildings were painstakingly dismantled and transported to the cocoa estate, where they were lovingly restored as guest accommodations and today stand as monuments of the island’s rich colonial history.
Lamontagne promised Earth Day at Fond Doux will be a relaxing experience, “as we remember how little of earth’s bounty you need to lead a fun and healthy life.”
