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frog
| | Posted on Saturday, March 20, 2004 - 05:47 pm: | |
Lorenzo & Group,
I read with some interest Lorenzo's article about Roatans ecology vrs. development. Considering it has been over 20 years since Lorenzo last stepped foot on the island, frankly I am quite amazed at his insight wayyyyyyy back then. I have lived on Roatan for only the past 6 years and am seeing considerable drastic changes in this short amount of time (non for the betterment of the environment). Lorenzo, all I can say is this: It's a good thing you are not here to see the devastation & destruction taking place in the name of development!
Big Bight & Johnsons Bight are seeing dredging like know one has seen before. Sand bars, sand islands and wing dikes are being built at an alarming rate and this is just ONE area of many. This is all illegal as far as I know but with the LOCAL government officials in place and with the position of power that they are in, it is all totally acceptable.......as long as one has the money to pay for the permits (and donations). I am extremely saddened by the uncontrolled and unchecked development taking place and have often advocated that the Honduran government put qualified people in postions of office such as Superintendent of Construction & Development......someone that actually MAY know something in relation to their job. But in this country, if you are a friend of the Alcalde and you have the minimum requirement of a 6th grade education, you can hold this important office. Get rich and retire (or start a taxi or car rental business) is the order of office.
This island is going to hell in a hand basket ASAP and it is predicted by a source that shall go un named that the reefs surrounding the island will be dead in 5 short years, due to the uncontrolled development practices.
I was enlightened by your suggestion that an independent ecology minded group come in to oversee the development of the island. I feel that this is an EXCELLENT IDEA but have doubts and reservations if it could actually materialize. This is the best idea I have heard to date. Is there anyone out there that has the resources that can follow up on this suggestion?
Certainly there has to be an NGO somewhere that deals with this type of dire circumstance.
Despirate on a dying, deteriorating & eroding rock. |
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