Stolen Sand

[PhyllisB]

Anyone else see this article about the gov't shutting down a Cancun hotel for stealing sand? Didn't see it in the news feed (what with all the articles about the 7 wonders of the world....)

http://www.boston.com/news/world/latinamerica/articles/2009/07/31/mexico_shuts_cancun_beach_alleges_sand_was_stolen/

[minniemex]

I can certainly understand the dilemma of losing the sand on your beach. But having said that this paragraph really cracked me up:D


"Today we made the decision to close this stretch of ill-gotten, illegally accumulated sand," said Patricio Patron, Mexico's attorney general for environmental protection. "This hotel was telling its tourists: 'Come here, I have sand ... the other hotels don't, because I stole it.'"

[susan]

That paragraph is quite humorous, and I got a good early morning chuckle as well, but anytime the mexican gov't actually steps up to protect the environment it is good. Problem from the get go was poor planning in developing Cancun

[Mindy in Tulum]

I saw that article last night. Crazy stuff. I must say that I too am very glad that the Gov't is stepping up for the environment but I do have a strange mental image of the crime scene tape for the stolen merchandise.

I do really hope that the city planners of Tulum have learned the lessons of the past and we will have beautiful beaches here for decades to come.

[PhyllisB]

I always read these things with a grain of salt. My first thought was, what does the gov't have against the guy who owns this place???? Or, conversely, which hotel owner down the beach from that guy has strings with the Mexican gov't and would benefit from shutting down some competition??? :D

I'd love it if it were all about the environment.... I just have my doubts that their intentions are 100% pure.

There was a line in there too about how the government has a plan to protect the beaches along the entire coastline... curious about that "plan"!

[Lynnette]

It looks like the Gran Caribe Real doesn't have much of a beach anyway, and not the greatest location. IMO, all of dredging & pumping of sand to constantly replenish Cancun beaches, is the main reason Isla has suffered so much beach loss on Playa Norte. Man shouldn't mess with Mother Nature!!!!!

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/18/73/62/ocean-view-from-rm2412.jpg

[Mindy in Tulum]

I totally agree that the intentions of the gov't are not always what they should be. But at least the issue got some attention. One thing I have learned about news... (from everywhere in the world) is that it is very rarely "just the facts mam"

The beaches are something to be treasured and hopefully the future development of the area works to protect them. In the meantime... I think I will take the kids to the beach. :sun::sun: Anyone want to join us?

[beachreader]

The protection of the sandy parts of the beach are very important to the government, because the beach brings the tourists in. Not enough tourists give a hoot about the mangroves, so I think their "environmental" concerns are less stringent there. But the white sand? That stuff is GOLD to the government and the big businesses. And if one big guy builds a breakwater and pumps it to his beach, that hurts another big guy down the row, and another and another. And the big guys all have a voice.

Just wish the mangroves warranted such enthusiasm, and not just when it's a little property owner trying to make a small improvement.

I wonder how many guests went down the beach, saw the crime scene tape and thought there had been a murder or big drug landing something? Then they find out it's the sand itself that's the contraband! :palmtree:

[AdGuy]

"This hotel was telling its tourists: 'Come here, I have sand ... the other hotels don't, because I stole it.'"

Dang...I can't believe I missed that tactic as a marketing professional trying to influence the masses! We're working on a brochure for a Florida hospital's emergency room services. Maybe we can say "Come to our ER, we have defibrillators...the other hospitals don't, because we stole them." :D

[minniemex]

"This hotel was telling its tourists: 'Come here, I have sand ... the other hotels don't, because I stole it.'"

Dang...I can't believe I missed that tactic as a marketing professional trying to influence the masses! We're working on a brochure for a Florida hospital's emergency room services. Maybe we can say "Come to our ER, we have defibrillators...the other hospitals don't, because we stole them." :D

That's why you need to be around here more Lee, you miss all these marketing tips!!