Update on boat that damaged reef.
#333649
04/18/09 08:38 AM
04/18/09 08:38 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,208 san pedro, Belize
collyk
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OP
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http://channel5belize.com/#a11Mexican Billionaire, Ricardo Salinas Pliego, whose luxury yacht anchored on the reef on April seventh, has been ordered to pay the price. According to information reaching News Five, the damage tallied up to the tune of eight hundred thousand U.S. dollars, which Salinas Pliego committed to pay on Holy Thursday before he sailed away. But the Easter holiday came along and the payment was postponed to this week. When contacted by phone today, Chief Environmental Officer, Martin Alegria, who is currently on vacation, told us that Salinas Pliego was expected to make payment at the Central Bank either on Thursday or today. But up to news time, no one can confirm if he has paid up. The Department of the Environment determined the amount of the fine based on the damaged area of the coral reef which measured twenty-five by forty-five meters. Salinas Pliego was reportedly supplied with that information, accepted liability and agreed to make payment. The Mexican billionaire was never actually arrested. He and his family remained on the yacht but the captain, forty-nine year old Salvador Villeras Eckart of Cancun, Mexico was detained. And as to why the ship anchored on the reef in the first place, Villeras Eckart has stated that the vessel was drifting towards the reef after a rope tangled in the propeller, causing it to shut down. He says that he had to drop anchor to avoid running aground. Salinas Pliego owns the Mexican television station, Azteca and the chain off appliance stores, Electra.
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Re: Update on boat that damaged reef.
[Re: bywarren]
#333670
04/18/09 10:28 AM
04/18/09 10:28 AM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 890
skippy
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In a sense, it seems positive. I'm initially surprised at the amount of the fine, and hope it does indeed get paid. It might take something like this, an actual large monetary fine, to get those inclined to damage or shrug off damage to the reef to realize it's a very big deal after all. Next time, make it $8 million. US.
On the dredging, no clue other than it's likely tied to economic development in the eyes of some in the gov. They know it's damaging, but seem to feel it's worth it for the development that occurs. I don't agree, but that's my guess as to their way of looking at it.
I hope that someday we can put aside our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people.
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