Public opinion is a big WORD in our constitution with little impact for the current management of iSimangaliso Wetlands Park. For years the Wild Life Custodians has fought a war against over development of coastal destinations. They visited schools and held leadership camps teaching us the importance of minimum human interference. But the current leadership of the most pristine World Heritage Site has a different view and like a rabbit dog he spoils for front page coverage and with big words making empty promises he is leading the public further and further away from having a beautiful environment.
Maybe he would have more support if he had more public participation, but his money crazy followers fend of any objection to public participation and keep on raping the environment. Developments in the small little town has gone rampant and huge luxurious lodges is popping up like mushrooms. Many people will again shout crazy man talking, but I have a few facts. Let us look at Sea Turtle Breeding Habits.
- They use the skyline to navigate
- They use the taste of the ocean water filled with water purculating from land to find the right coastal beaches again.
What we have here is a Authority building all sizes of structures bellow the water table altering the "taste" of the water seeping from the wetlands back into the ocean for ever. This will have a long term catastrophic effect on Breeding sea turtle population.
The human habitation also creates a glow in the evening that also interfere with the skyline of the coast. This is such an important influence that for many years the bay at Banga Neck was lit up during Turtle Nesting Season to ensure the congregation of Nesting sites in this area. In other parts of the World they have a black out on coastal towns during the nesting season.
Why do we allow this sort of management style that hamper Tourism Flow ... why do we belief Eco Tourism is environmentally friendly ...????
Hi Petrus, thanx for the mostly informative post. What I can take from this is that you feel there should be no development whatsoever in St. Lucia? That it should stay the same forever?
ReplyDeleteHow do you think the management should manage the site? They need to improve somehow, not true?
The development there is not excessive, its just a fresh look?
I normally just bluntly delete idiots hiding behind anonymity ... IF THE PARK AUTHORITY implemented the legislation that includes public participation and Integrated management plans this entry would have never seen the light off day.
ReplyDeleteNo one in St Lucia sticks to the National Building Regulations nor to the waste disposal policies ... thus for a very expensive security company now has to manage traffic the landfill site ...
Only if a town/region can develop with in its infra structural capabilities your comment would have been relevant.
With all the pressure on current resources the town is basically dumping raw sewerage into a low energy land locked Marine Nursery ...
Its not about development, but about how the development is done, and why.
ReplyDeleteWe need to develop a channel to allow sea water to enter the upper reaches at spots like Niebla, Falsebay, and the northern sectors, but the IWPA (iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority) looks after farmers who are destroying the ecosystem with insecticides, poisons and altered water-flow patterns. The development you speak of is cosmetic to confuse the public's perception of the iSimangaliso Wetland park authority and what they do in the greater St. Lucia world heritage site along the Elephant Coast of KZN South Africa.
Be a real person with the COURAGE TO PUT YOUR NAME TO WHAT YOU SAY else shut up and hide in the corner like the wimp that you are pretending to be......