Lesson for Barbados – Mexican Hotel Builds Groyne To Steal Beach Sand: Government Sends In Navy, Police, Environmental Enforcement Agents!
From
http://barbadosfreepress.wordpress.com/2009/08/02/lesson-for-barbados-mexican-hotel-builds-groin-to-steal-beach-sand-government-sends-in-navy-police-environmental-enforcement-agents/
ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME SCENE! Armed Mexican troops seize hotel beach created with stolen sand and illegally-built groyne (rocks in background).
Unlike Barbados, the Government of Mexico is obviously serious about protecting fragile coastline and beaches from corporations and developers that think they can do whatever they want to enhance their own beachfront at the expense of the environment and others people’s property and enjoyment.
“…some property owners build breakwaters in a bid to retain sand. The practice often merely shifts sand loss to beaches below the breakwaters.”
“Today we made the decision to close this stretch of ill-gotten, illegally accumulated sand,”
…Patricio Patron, Mexico’s attorney-general for environmental protection. (Mexico sends navy to shut Cancun beach; says hotel’s sand stolen.)
Mr. Patron said he regretted any inconvenience for tourists, but said the government is planning projects to restore beaches throughout Cancun in an orderly, environmentally responsible way. “I apologize to the tourists for this problem, but it is a question of enforcing the law,” Mr. Patron said.
Of course, Mexico has environmental laws to enforce. Barbados has no environmental protection laws. Really… as strange as that sounds, it is true. Barbados has no environmental protection legislation on the books. Successive Barbados governments have promised such legislation – but they also promised anti-drunk driving legislation, integrity legislation, freedom of information legislation etc etc etc.
Contrast Mexico’s Protection of Beaches With Barbados...
Barbado Environment Denis Lowe (left) remains silent on the Mullins Beach fiasco since his election.
In the case of Mullins Bay, Barbados, a large condo developer has been allowed to build three massive groynes that trap sand in front of the condo to the detriment of other property owners and nearby beaches.
Minister of the Environment Denis Lowe didn’t even bother to show up for a long-planned Coastal Management beach walk a few weeks ago. According to our friends over at Mullins Bay blog, Minister Lowe promised to visit the area but hasn’t done so since he was elected. Hey… it must be tough for Doctor Lowe to tear himself away from the luncheon buffet at the government-owned Hilton Hotel.
Maybe someone should do up a Mullins Bay video presentation and play it over the sweets table at the hotel!
Mullins Bay Destruction Not Just An Environmental Issue
As we have said before, the destruction of the beaches at Mullins Bay and nearby is not just an environmental issue. The story of Mullins Bay and the disappearing West Coast beaches is not a disagreement over environmental science by well-meaning people who all have the public good in mind. No sir.
The rape of our West Coast is all about corporations with money that have been allowed to do as they please by two successive governments. The St. Peter’s Bay condo developers were allowed by government to build groynes to enhance their own beach — never mind the disastrous impact upon the neighboring beaches and coastline.
How much money did the condo developers provide in “campaign donations” to our two major political parties? Don’t ask! With no campaign financing laws, integrity legislation or conflict of interest laws — Barbados citizens are effectively kept in the dark.
In Mexico – crooked old Mexico where you can hardly run a roadside water stand without paying off some public official – they have enough sense to know that the rule of law must be enforced to protect the beaches… because when those beaches are gone Mexico can kiss the tourists goodbye.
In Barbados, our government officials allow certain developers to enhance their own properties while destroying area beaches.
Somebody in Barbados must be getting a pay off. That can be the only excuse. I hope the Barbados government officials who allowed the groynes are being paid off.
You have to understand Bajans: we accept that our government officials might be crooks. We just hope they aren’t stupid enough to destroy the beaches for free without filling their own pockets!
Doctor Lowe… quit stuffing your face and get rid of those groynes that are destroying Mullins Beach. For the love of Barbados, do something to save the West Coast beaches… Or, are you now on the take too?
Thanks Viv - but I can't take credit for it. It's from Barbados Free Press. (The link to the original article/webpage is supplied at the start of the article.) 
