AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Shame on Ambergris Today newspaper!

My word! I hadn't heard of this, but it really is crazy! And as it's also illegal and we all agree the croc baiting should stop, can we ensure that all people involved are personally prosecuted and the newspaper similarly? If that doesn't happen then we've lost the battle to stop it, and that'll have to wait until there's a tragedy.

Do the police require a formal referral from a member of the public before they can act? If so, can someone bring a copy of the paper this evening? There'll be enough people there to make a formal complaint.

Come on Chris, "made a mistake"? Sitting on a crocodile? There were enough people involved in this photoshoot and article that someone must have known that it was illegal. In any case, a newspaper owes a duty of care to the community, and this was utterly irresponsible - as must have been apparent to the people who perpetrated it.

Obviously I don't advocate disproportionate punishment, but SOMETHING should happen. Even if she's given a conditional discharge, told not to do it again, that would get the message over. Or even just a Police Caution, with no Court action. Doing NOTHING also gets a message over, and it's one that most of us don't want to convey.

This is gonna be an interesting meeting!

Was just brainstorming....How about solving the crime issue on the island with feeding the criminals that get caught steeling or robbing, feeding them to the crocs. The crocs will be well fed and the island will be a very happy place again...win win situation for everybody, except the criminal...

I've made huge "mistakes" in my life, even well after 24. And I've been punished for them, as have my superiors. I absolutely cringe when I hear about how we should lay off people when they have entrenched duties in protecting and promoting tourism. And protecting tourism means protecting TOURISTS. I'm going to have the biggest headache when, in a few years time, we start re-debating this after a tourist loses their hand. But that seems to be how we humans and policy-makers ever progress. By learning the hard way.

Chris, that's ridiculous. If it's dangerous and illegal, don't put it in the paper like it's a tourist attraction. It makes it worse that she's a local who should know better, and the paper ought to know that is dangerous and illegal. I don't think she should be beaten and imprisioned, but it's still a stupid thing to put on the front page. When soneone gets bitten, the paper has some responsibility for it. Jeez.

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Post subsequently deleted by Ambergris Today:-
"If everybody is so ready to shame Ambergris Today, well why don't we shame all those people who take visitors to Shark Ray Ally? It's the same thing! Having people interact with wild animals. Clearly many of you speak too fast before reading carefully. We all know that this feeding of crocodiles takes place on a daily basis and many people are carrying tourist to this place. I guess shame on all of them too! And I bet most of you who have commented on this message board have one time or another stood by the pond to watch the crocodile being fed. This means that you have contributed to the act and condone the action. We never invited anyone to go feed the crocodiles and never said it was a tourist attraction. We have always warned people of the dangers of feeding these creatures and Debbie took a picture with the crocodile on her own free will. The article quotes - "It is true that these crocodiles are wild animals and the guys that are feeding them make sure that they warn everybody of the dangers of feeding them up close and even touching them. It is made clear to everybody that they are there at their own risk." Our intention was, that if this practice is still being conducted, that a much safer environment be constructed so that these animals are not hurt and to remove any danger to humans. And the Town Council agreed that the area needs to be safer for people to view these creatures. Aren't there crocodile farms and zoos all over the Everglades in Florida and other parts of the world? If you take it another way - Mission accomplished! We have given much attention to the situation to have the proper authorities either shut down the operation or create a proper environment for this to continue. Many of you are too eager to crucify people when most of the time you turn a blind eye on things that you are afraid to comment about. Then when somebody else has the courage to do or comment on something you crucify them. If you did not condone the act of feeding the crocodiles, then why did you not say anything before?"

Me(!):-
I'm sorry, I "tuned back" to this thread when I saw that the newspaper was replying. How disappointing that instead of apologising for an error in judgement they have seen fit to try to defend their actions. They seem to think that having those pictures (especially) and the article on the front page of their paper is no great deal. I now really hope that the full force of the law is thrown at them.

Trying to justify it doesn't make it right. YOU printed the picture for all to see. And comparing snorkeling to feeding the crock is lame.

I got nuked, again