[Coral-List] PUERTO MORELOS, Mexico: a new Cancun?

Mon Feb 2 19:00:54 EST 2009

As an international organizations we have dealt in the past with issues in Cancun, or more precisely at X'Cacel, Quintana Roo, when Sol Melia tried to build huge resorts on beaches essential for sea turtles.

Mexican state, regional and national officials are known to easily flout Mexican legislation in favor of large infrastructure or resort projects.

The information supplied is incomplete, is there a web site dedicated to the issue?

At the end of the email several government emails are mentioned, not phone and fax numbers.

Also missing are newspapers, editorial staff to contact.

We know from experience that the email addresses will be rendered unavailable for this campaign as soon as the first emails are intercepted.

It would be more convenient for the Puerto Morelos campaigners to set up an online petition and a web site with blogs and surveys, which can all be had for free on US based portals.

Milton Ponson, President
Rainbow Warriors Core Foundation
(Rainbow Warriors International) Tel. +297 568 5908
PO Box 1154, Oranjestad 
Aruba, Dutch Caribbean 
Email: southern_caribbean at yahoo.com Web Sites: http://www.southerncaribbean..org   http://www.rainbowwarriors.net (Global)
http://www.projectparadigm.info

To unite humanity in a global society dedicated to a sustainable way of life

--- On Mon, 2/2/09, Georgina Bustamante <gbustamante at bellsouth.net> wrote:
From: Georgina Bustamante <gbustamante at bellsouth.net>
Subject: [Coral-List] PUERTO MORELOS, Mexico: a new Cancun?
To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Date: Monday, February 2, 2009, 11:19 AM

A message from Mexican colleagues below.

These are the urgent issues that we have to deal with locally, while we
strive to reduce green house gases in the Earth atmosphere…

* *

*Georgina Bustamante, Ph.D.***
Coordinator
Caribbean  Marine Protected Area Management Network and Forum

campam - "A social network for enhancing MPA effectiveness in the Wider 
Caribbean through communication and capacity building tools"
Hollywood, Florida
Tel./fax (request) +1 (954) 963-3626, (305) 226-5548
Mobile +1 (305) 297-6995

email: gbustamante at bellsouth.net
skype: yoyibustamante
http://www.gcfi.org/campam/CaMPAM.htm

* *
* *
* *
*Puerto Morelos Needs Your Help *

*Sustainable Development Proposal *

*Jan. 28th 2009 *

*PUERTO MORELOS *needs your help. We, the community, are asking for your
support locally, nationally and internationally to stop an unreasonable
development plan that has been proposed for our small town.

We understand the need for progress and development, however; the plan
that was hurriedly approved without proper studies on January 22, 2009
at the Cabilido in Cancun by the regidores, wants to grow our community
from the current population of less than 10,000 residents to over
150,000 people. The plan is to build 50,000 worker homes for over
150,000 people in an area that is a designated flood zone. During the
hurricane and rainy season (September has an average rain fall of 230mm)
these new homes will block the natural water holes that lead to the
underground rivers. This will cause thousands of homes to flood. The new
plan also has no mention of any infrastructure. No electricity, no
water, no sewage, no schools, no churches, etc. It is a plan for real
estate developers and land owners to make money fast.

*We are extremely worried about the future of Puerto Morelos. *

We, the community of Puerto Morelos, want a new development plan, a
change, a fresh beginning. We want to be leaders in creating a community
that embraces sustainable development along with tourism. We want to
work together with developers, land owners, and the town to achieve this
vision.

The people of Puerto Morelos have spent the last two years working with
the government Urban Development group, IMPLAN creating a sustainable
development plan for the town. We are also extremely fortunate to have
UNAM (National University of Mexico, studies of marine biology) right
here in Puerto Morelos. Several expert scientists, without cost, have
helped us with studies on our area and eco systems. In coordination with
these experts, our community has developed a plan that will not only
respect our eco systems and community but generate money for real estate
developers and land owners. Our goal is to become an eco friendly
community and tourist area that will bring people to Puerto Morelos who
are seeking this kind of vacation environment. One example of such a
sustainable tourist hotel is the Hotel Mayakoba that has been built
south of our town. It is a magnificently planned hotel respecting the
surrounding eco systems.

We want our plan to be recognized by the government and incorporated
into the future development of this area. Our plan for development is
sustainability, a plan that will be of great benefit to our eco systems
and our community. We do not want Puerto Morelos to become another
Cancun or Playa del Carmen. We want Puerto Morelos to be a beautiful,
restful town respectful of its natural surroundings.

* *

*HOW CAN YOU HELP? *

*We are asking for your opinion. If you live here, own properties or
vacation here, we would like to hear from you. *

*1) Do you want PUERTO MORELOS to become another Playa del Carmen or Cancun? *

*If so why? *

*If not, why not? *

*2) Will you continue to come back here? *

*3) What do you think people are now looking for when they go on vacation? *

*4) What is your opinion of the many all inclusive resorts that are being 
built on the coast? *

*5) Do the all inclusive hotels benefit PUERTO MORELOS? *

*6) Will a Cruise ship port for PUERTO MORELOS benefit our community? *

*Please send your opinion and comments in English or Spanish to: *

*President of Mexico *
*Lic Felipe Calderon *
*presidencia at sectur.gob.mx *

*Governor of Quintana Roo *
*Lic, Felix Arturo Gonzales Cantos *
*gobernador at qroo.gob.mx *

*Presidente Municipal de Benito Juarez *
*Ing. Gregorio Sanchez *
*presidenciajemedinam at cancun.gob.mx *

*Directo de Turismo *
*C. Felix Enrique Zarate Nunez *
*turismo6 at cancun.gob.mx *

*Please send a copy of your letter to pmletters at gmail.com so that we can track 
the response. Gracias! *
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