[Coral-List] Guana Cay - Conservation v Public Relations

[Todd Barber]

In the interest of trying to make some progress on the Guana Cay project, I 
have sent an email directly to the CEO of the Land Development Company 
offering Reef Ball Foundation services without charge to help them assess 
what they could do to better address protection of the Coral Reef around the 
Baker's Bay development.

Let's hope a direct, non-threating approach might help the situation.  We 
would be interesting in the assistance of any scientists interested in this 
project to join us on the assessment if they accept the offer (although it 
would probably be best not to use the scientists that are currently in 
direct opposition except as silent advisors to avoid confrontations).

Everyone cross your fingers for a positive response from them.

Thanks,

Todd Barber
Chairman Reef Ball Foundation, Inc.
3305 Edwards Court
Greenville, NC 27858
reefball at reefball.com

http://www.artificialreefs.org
http://www.reefball.org
http://www.reefball.com

Direct: 252-353-9094
mobile: 941-720-7549
Fax 425-963-4119

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "steve tooze" <stevetooze1 at hotmail.com>
To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 8:14 AM
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Guana Cay - Conservation v Public Relations


> Dear Mike
>
> I'm a journalist myself and I think, if you're not already doing so, you
> need to start playing publicity hardball with these developers. I 
> absolutely
> accept what Todd was saying about these guys having lots of money. But
> people power is always sexier, more sympathetic and makes better headlines
> than big business trying to use bullying tactics to get its way.
>
> Plus, as I'm sure you realise, the only reason that these guys are 
> attacking
> your reputation and credibility in the local press (and pouring all their
> cash into an expensive PR campaign) is because they are scared of you and
> think you've got a good chance of thwarting their ugly scheme. So whatever
> you're doing now, you're doing right. Keep doing it.
>
> In addition, (sorry Erik if you're about to re-read everything I just put
> into an email to you!), if you've got a lawyer in yr midst, get him to 
> fire
> off an angry letter to the papers that lazily regurgitated the 'liar' 
> quote
> from some corporate press release. Demand an apology and retraction and a
> right of reply. Then get every campaigner willing to put pen to paper (or
> cursor to email) to send a letter of complaint. Editors and publisher hate
> bags of mail from angry readers and you can bet they will think twice 
> before
> making that mistake again on this issue.
>
> As an added extra, their journalists/news desks will probably be ordered 
> to
> look out for a story that supports yr viewpoint in order to quell the
> furious mob. Which you should duly supply - a good one would be to find
> someone, preferably a normal working guy like the people on Guana Cay, who
> has had their environment/livelihood/property values blighted by a 
> previous
> Discovery development elsewhere. Someone sympathetic saying 'For God's 
> sake
> don't let these people do to you what they've done to me!'
>
> That should scare the c**p (not sure if that's a word you can use on the
> List) out of the very local politicians that these developers are relying 
> on
> to push this proposal through - and drum up extra outrage and anti-golf
> course feelings in the Bahamas.
>
> Apologies if you're already do all the above (hope it's working if you
> are!). Just wanted you to know from a media person's perspective, that 
> it's
> not always the cash that buys the headlines. Significant numbers of
> passionate people protesting (ie your readers) always make better copy 
> than
> big business bleating about its bottom line.
>
> Good luck
>
> Steve Tooze
>
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