A Warwick Long Bay concession stand operator is furious at Government's decision to start a new construction project at the start of the busy beach season.

Boyd Vallis said he will have to shut his stand down if the development proceeds today and two employees will be out of a job because the Department of Parks want to go ahead with approved plans to improve the beach and the access road.

"Are we in tourism or not?" Mr. Vallis asked yesterday "How stupid? In the middle of the season? They wait two-and-a-half years to fix it and suddenly we have got a rushed job?"

Mr. Vallis said Warwick Long Bay had a three-month season, half of which would be lost to construction.

It was reported in June 2005 that the Development Applications Board approved Parks' plan to develop extra parking spaces for ten cars and 26 cycles, reinforce a boulder revetment and add a new drainage gully and new three-foot retaining wall at the beach.

The stand operator also said Environment Permanent Secretary Wayne Carey decided to go ahead with the development in June. However, Mr. Vallis also asked whether Mr. Carey had ever been to Warwick Long Bay.

"Let's fix it. I agree. But we have had two hurricane seasons already," he said. "They've waited this long. Who cares now?"

Government did not even notify him in advance that the road ? at the bottom of which his stand is located ? would be closed this summer.

"No one sent a letter that we will have to close," he said. "We are at the bottom of the chain."

A Ministry of the Environment release said the development would start today.

"The Ministry of the Environment is advising the public that the access road to Warwick Long Bay National Park will be closed to the public while reinstatement works and access road improvements are undertaken," it said.

"The construction work is not expected to affect the use of the beach."

The Ministry spokesman said the work was scheduled to be completed sometime in August. However, vehicles and pedestrians could still access the beach via the Chaplin Bay access road across from the entrance to the Bermuda Regiment's Warwick Camp.

"The Ministry of the Environment apologises for any inconvenience caused, and thanks the public for their patience and co-operation," it said. "Please contact the Parks Department at 236-5902, for more information."

Ironically, Mr. Vallis' stand was moved to Warwick Long Bay from Church Bay, which still has not been officially reopened after it was damaged by Hurricane Fabian in September 2003, even though a new set of wooden steps had been constructed.

Mr. Vallis has already asked Parks whether he could be relocated at Church Bay. However, yesterday he had not yet received a reply from Parks.

"Who cares about tourism?" Mr. Vallis said. "It's too much work to get permits to go anywhere."

Mr. Carey did not return calls yesterday.