WILLEMSTAD - Fundashon Pro Monumento (ProMo) will not be given extra time to argue against the construction of the Majestic Hotel & Residence in Punda. The judge declared the objection unfounded.
Last fall, the foundation filed an appeal with the Court of First Instance against the government and Minister Charles Cooper of Traffic, Transport and Spatial Planning (VVRP) over the building plans of the hotel.
Chairman Dennis Klaus emphasized at the time that ProMo is not against construction at Marichi. “But the project for which a building permit has now been issued is disproportionate and does not comply with the Island Development Plan. Curaçao must be careful with large-scale construction projects," says Klaus. "It is not inconceivable that UNESCO decides to remove Willemstad from the World Heritage List."
After the appeal against the issued building permit was declared inadmissible in January, lawyer Achim Henriquez filed a notice of opposition on behalf of ProMo. The Court ruled on Thursday that the objection will not lead to a different outcome.
However, the government must indeed submit a building permit and accompanying documents to interested parties who request this, according to the judgment. According to the judge, ProMo could have demonstrated on the basis of 'the part of the file that it did have' that Minister Cooper did not provide the requested documents.
Cooper is very pleased with the verdict. “The judge has turned off the lights and silenced Dennis Klaus and his lawyer Henriquez,” he wrote in a Facebook post. The minister states that ProMo is blocking the development of Curaçao and that the judge has looked at the general interest.