AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Environment South Beach and ACCSD

It is unfortunate that the GOB does not have the money - or the will - to put people to work improving the needed infrustucture as opposed to creating additional demands on the already lacking infrastucture using the argument that it creates jobs.

yup. (not that the USA is doing much better on that score...)

Too true bywarren! Wish it were so in many areas of the world - including here in the USA as SJ alluded to. Where's the money to come from? (where's pug and rykat? not to leave others out, sweetjane, LeahAnn and jhill too)

Maybe for another thread. sorry in advance for hijack

The reason this project has united so many is that it is so outrageous a project. It is not going to be built on wet lands; the truth is there isn't much dry land there at all. On top of that it is adjacent to a very sensitive reserve. If built to full potential it would probably permanently change the character of the Island. These "other" smaller projects that people complain about may be wrong but don't have any way near the potential for harm that South Beach does in my opinion. I took a good look at it from the air a few months ago and I just couldn't believe what was planned there. I can't even fathom the transportation problem to move the people back and forth from Belize City.

sj, I would like to believe that this project could never get off the ground in the US. In my neck of the woods you would have a problem if they found one plant that was considered wet land vegetation growing on it never mind what you have here.

sorry, i wouldn't really know. i was only referring to by's well-put post.

sj, I interpreted by's post to mean the short term vs. the long term view. i.e.: the jobs temp./permanent vs. the amount of people, trash, sewage, medical needs, stress on the environment, infrastructure, and whatever else goes along with a project of this magnitude constructed on an Island of limited size.

I really hate to make a statement because I really like AC and I want the people/Island to be successful. I'm not a resident quite yet so I try to stay out of the local business. I hate it when some one from the outside (me) tells them what to do but this is so way out.

ragman - me too, my friend, me too.

Why do you say these other projects are smaller?

http://brahmablue.com/

How many acres of mangrove swamp do you think has to be destroyed to create an 18 hole golf course? How much seabed dug up to create a "luxury yacht marina"?

Both of these appear in the original "master plan" for this development. In fairness, the new web site recently posted does not advertise these. I don't know if the developer has abandoned these plans or is just chosing not to advertise them right now.

I'm not defending South Beach. I think it's a bad idea also but it gets sooooooo much more negative press than any other development when in reality there is little difference between it and some of the other proposed developments.

Many times the increased traffic to the island is cited as one of the big negative effects but any further development is going to do that. Allowing 100 developers to build 10 condos each is no different than a single developer building 1,000 units.

I just think that the laws of supply and demand will dominate the development on the island. As long as there is a demand there will be further development.

It's not only AC, check out the development on Long Cay at Lighthouse Atoll. One of the more agressive people oposing South Beach supported it by purchasing there. Long Cay should be a national park, not a development. IMO
I think there is over-development, but I guess owning property on AC makes me part of that.