Samyka Harris Edwin.
The Soufriere Foundation has said the trip involving a US doctor who met her demise while hiking on the world-famous Gros Piton, about two weeks ago, was not authorised.
Chief Executive Officer Walter Francois told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) Tuesday (May 26) that the doctor and her husband were guided by an unauthorised group.
Francois said Soufriere Foundation is the only authorised body responsible for conducting tours under the Gros Piton Nature Trail and provides tours for groups of about four persons.
The Foundation also provides insurance liability for persons who participate in these tours.
However, Francois said that some persons are engaged in and practice what he described as “back door tours.” This of course is done using a different route, unknown to the Foundation.
“For security reasons we cannot place anyone in that general area. But what we have been speaking about at the Foundation is persons taking this risk and they don’t cover the visitors,” he said.
He told SNO that the recent incident involving the US doctor was brought to the attention of local police, who said they have launched an investigation into the matter.
The area that is supposedly used for the “back door tours” still however, does not have security.
Francois said there is also another problem, where operators access the beach close to the Pitons without permission.
He said he is concerned about this increasingly worrying development, which could lead to unfortunate circumstances and paint a bad picture for the thriving tourism industry in Soufriere.
The Soufriere Foundation, he said, would usually have a briefing before the actual trip. It also checks on each individual’s medical background to determine if they are suffering from any aliments that would prevent them from participating.
On Sunday, May 3, 2015, at about 3:45 p.m., Samyka Harris Edwin was hiking the Gros Piton trail along with her husband, also a doctor, when she collapsed, never regaining consciousness.
A post mortem examination revealed that Edwin died as a result of heat stroke also defined as hyperthermia.