| Akumal at a Crossroads |
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| Thursday, 17 March 2005 | |
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How can we ensure the sanctity of our beautiful coastline? Sustainable development is, according to the definition on SEMARNAT’s website, development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The development plan for Akumal (on the Riviera Maya), which will soon be voted on by the council of the Solidaridad municipality, is the antithesis of this concept. Without having met the needs of the current population, it speculates on the exploitation of the future, billing our children and grandchildren the high cost of our lack of vision.
People who come to Akumal, either as tourist or as new residents, do so precisely because they do not want to live in a large city. Ask them and they will tell you that what they like is the calm, safe, small and friendly community. They disapprove of the poor water quality, the trash in the streets, the unpaved roads, the noticeable environmental degradation, and the rapid growth that is destroying the beauty of this destination. It is obvious the community was not consulted in the design of the development plan, as it simply does not reflect the community’s interests. How can we possibly fool ourselves into imagining a better future when we are incapable of facing the current needs of both society and the environment? Would it not be wiser and more fair to seek, instead of explosive growth, the improvement of the quality of life of the residents- present and future- of Akumal and the Riviera Maya? In Cancun’s garbage disposal debacle we have a perfect example of what happens when we bet on the future without accounting for the present. Mexico’s biggest tourist attraction, a city that should be the nation’s most prosperous, has nowhere to place its garbage. Let us not make the same mistake with the Riviera Maya. Let us learn the lesson. Let us take an honest look at the present, and analyze the options for our future. Lets do things right for a change. We have an historic opportunity to show the rest of Mexico a model of sustainable development, rather the same old mistakes. Let’s postpone the development plans until the environment’s carrying capacity can be determined, and until we have the highest quality infrastructure for the treatment of both solid and liquid waste. Let’s revisit the development goals and make sure they do not exceed the carrying capacity of regional ecosystems. Instead of dreaming with an Akumal with a quarter million residents, I dream with an Akumal with paved streets, proper drainage and sewage, decent schools, public spaces, a waste management system that protects the natural resources that make this such a beautiful place, and a more moderate growth rate, one in tune with the needs of both the community and its environment. Could it be that we are so used to social and ecological decay that we consider them inevitable? Why else do we not even try to prevent it? Would it help if we recall what has already been lost in Akumal?
The few residents that have actually lived here for several decades recall a time when the turtles actually came out on the beach during the day, to sun themselves. Today this sounds like a tall tale. If the development plan is approved, what fantastic stories will we tell our children and grandchildren within a few decades? Will they believe us that the name of their big city means “place of the turtle” in the Maya language? Will they ask us where the turtles went? Will they reproach us for not having taken care of them? Or perhaps we need to start thinking about changing this town’s name... Comments (0)
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By David Nunez, Akumal Resident
It is unbelievable that a community lacking in basic services and infrastructure is slated for a hundred-fold increase in population within a couple of decades. Even in the best case scenario of a perfect community, in a region less problematic than the Riviera Maya, in a case where all resident needs were being satisfied, to deliberately seek such explosive and accelerated growth would be risky and unwise. Many have been the voices of caution, from small civil associations to the United Nations, warning of the dangers- to public safety, to public health, to social and cultural wellbeing, to the environment- implicit in the excessive growth of the Riviera Maya. However, it would appear that as a society we prefer to ignore their counsel and continue with the business-as-usual practices that have turned Cancun into a sociological and ecological disaster; and are threatening Playa del Carmen to the same fate.
Only in the last year we have lost ground on several fronts, among them: safety, health, quality of life and ecology. As the population grows, so does the crime rate. Last year a new police station and regular patrols became necessary. And although we are grateful for their presence, it is sad that now need them. Equally alarming is the yet unexplained appearance of open sores that do not heal on faces, arms and legs, many of the patients being children. Although the cause of this outbreak has yet to be determined, it is not inconceivable that poor sanitation may have something to do with it. Last year also saw a doubling in the number of boats in Akumal Bay. One can no longer go for a swim without inhaling diesel fumes, hearing the buzz of motors all around, and having to keep a wary eye on the maneuvers all around. Nearly thirty motorized boats now share the waters with bathers. And with the sea turtles. The sea grass beds and reefs in the bay are feeding grounds for endangered green and hawksbill turtles. Furthermore, the beaches are nesting grounds for greens and loggerheads. The past year the number of female turtles nesting on Akumal’s beaches dropped by approximately 60% relative to comparable years.
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