Two protests will be taking place Saturday, 25 June.
Save East End will hold a demonstration and prayer event along Lover’s Wall in East End starting at 9.30am to protest the proposed port development; and the United Democratic Party will be holding a Rally for Progress at the West Bay Public Beach from 3-6pm.
A local community group known as Save East End is responsible for the organisation of the first protest to be held on Saturday. The demonstration was planned in order to give locals and visitors a chance to protest against the proposed port development.
Those wanting to attend the protest are asked to wear white, a colour symbolising unity rather than alignment with any political party.
“It doesn’t matter what your political affiliation is,” said Stephen Broadbelt, one individual behind the planning of the demonstration. “If you’re opposed to the development, you should come to the protest.”
Denise Miller, president of the Young Progressives, agreed that, because the impact of the proposed development will be widespread, it is important for people to come together to express their opinions.
“Bipartisanship and a coalition of a wide cross-section of our community is important in the movement because this issue is one that will affect everyone and many things,” she wrote in an email.
Mr. Broadbelt said Save East End waited to take their opposition from the cyberworld into the real world until the environmental impact assessment had been released.
The credibility of that report has since become one of the group’s primary concerns.
The real issue at stake for the members of Save East End, however, is the environmental impact the port may have on the land and marine ecosystems.
“That’s what sparked this community group of like-minded people who care about the nature and character of East End,” Mr. Broadbelt said. “It’s not necessarily anti-development, but its about what is suitable for the district.”
On the event page set up by the group at www.SayNoMegaQuarry.com, the group calls the proposed development a quarry rather than a port.
“Our labelling of it as a mega-quarry is based on the information that has been provided,” Mr. Broadbelt said. “All we know is that they are going to dig a big hole, everything else is pie in the sky.”
Ms. Miller explained the reasoning behind the label further.
“The East End project is not for a seaport,” she said. “Mr. Imparato, the developer, admitted during the public presentation in the district that a separate proposal for the building of an actual seaport is not on the table.”
Signatures from people around the world have joined those from locals on a petition against the seaport which has gained more than 12,000 signatures.
The petition, titled Save Half Moon Bay, can be accessed online at www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/244/274/411/#taf.
The UDP’s Rally for Progress will focus on mustering support for government efforts to create jobs.
“It’s drawing support for the government efforts to improve the economy but also bringing people there to register for jobs,” said Press Secretary to the Premier Charles Glidden.
Attendees seeking employment will be able to use the demonstration to put themselves out there for future employment.
“Their names will be collected and their contact information,” said Mr. Glidden, “then, as job opportunities arise they would be contacted.”
Heavy equipment operators are also encouraged to come with their machinery to more dramatically demonstrate their support for the government.
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