[Blues Pirate]

"why would you even think of trucking in the rock. You would barge in the rock and distribute from the barge with a clam shell crane. One barge could haul more than 20 trucks!"

Because it's Jamaica and all the thinking on this beach 'erosion' has been very linear. It defies logic.

[oldtimer]

From a fisherman's view it is CRAZY !!! the amount of seafloor damage will be great !!! People shit all over me when I spoke out against the St. Mary's fuel pier . Just look at it now !!! it is almost to the point of no repair . Every decision ever made enviromentaly in Jamaica is politically driven . What is this breakwater going to stop ? The shape of the bay it's self causes the water to go sideways along the shore ( Long Bay ). I'm sure Cap will agree with me on that . When you are passing land the points ( lighthouse pt ) (Rutland Pt) deceide how the water runs and it has NOTHING to do with breakwaters .Bad things like killing sharks and fishing to the point of no return helps kill the reef which is nature's way to protecting it's self . The sea is not wrong, it's the choice of building things in the wrong places that cause the illusion of beach erosion . The pic to 10,000 leagues under the sea shows Negril beach as pristine , which it was . If there were never hotels build there it would look exactly the same today . The sewage treatment plant that releases so much fecal matter into the sea does it no favours either . They can stick their heads up their asses as much as they want but A BREAKWATER OR DREDGING WILL NOT HELP !!!! It needs enviro control . Will that happen . NO !!!!!!

[Blues Pirate]

A big AMEN to that!

[kylake]

Nicely said OT

[rastagirl777]

People here are mad as hell.

There have been multiple community meetings held, voices and reports heard yet the community had to find out about this approval in the MEDIA.  Cowards.

The fear is that this thing will get started, money will run out and the roads and beach will remain a mess.

If this goes through, its the death knell for Negril and her businesses.  They are planning to stage the entire operation at Corner Bar, basically blocking off West End road.  I don't need to say how badly that will dry up businesses up here - but it will also prevent whatever emergency vehicles from effectively reaching the good folks that live on this end of Negril - police, fire, "ambulance" etc.

There's talk of JET filing for an injunction.  That's what is needed right now.  The grant money has an expiration date and if this thing can be stalled until that time that would be awesome.

[JonTom]

3 more articles ( 2 are really letters to editor) on Negril Breakwater project.

1st, against the project, from Jane Issa. She is related to both the Couples Resorts owner and the SuperClubs owner. They have several properties in the Negril area.

Breakwater Would Break Negril
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20150107/letters/letters3.html

a rebuttal today from the CEO of NEPA.
Breakwater Will Build Resilience In Negril
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20150110/letters/letters6.html


This 2nd letter states a project done in "partnership with the leading hotel chain in the country" at Norman Beach Park...
1) hadn't heard of any project being done. Anyone know about it?
2) is "leading chain" Sandals? I don't know why he wouldn't just state the hotel name if it was done in partnership. If so, they have at least 2 properties in Negril (I think Sandals owns Beaches) so you would think they have a vested interest in the best solution. They did fund that beach erosion study a few years ago, I believe.

Observer article:
Gov't to start work on Negril breakwater project by March
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Gov-t-to-start-work-on-Negril-breakwater-project-by-March_18196864

Not really sure what to believe, other than I have a deep-seated distrust of JA government doing things on the up and up.

[CardBoardBox]

I wondered why the lot between the Corner Bar and Vendor Plaza was cleaned up / cleared. The rocks have to be trucked in anyway and using a barge would just be an expense. When a group offers $, the government thinks of jobs which on its surface sounds like a good thing. If this was NJ, I'm confident there would be some graft involved with awarding contracts. (If you don't build, you can't steal. (Mayor to my barber to me quote.)) Injunction and loss of the grant would make a few people unhappy. Latest expression I like: Some (politicans) put their career ahead of their country.

[JonTom]

At least the proposed project is getting plenty of publicity recently.

Sunlight = best disinfectant and all that.

"NEPA boss accuses Negril breakwater opponents of waging campaign to mislead public"

"http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/It-s-war-"


hmmm, can't get the link to work, so i put it in quotes. seems this board interprets the last "dash" in the URL.

[Van]

It actually doesn't matter how much sunlight is shone on the politicians.  They are corrupt and it is expected that they be corrupt. There will be war with words, with non-truths and spins from the government.  

It doesn't matter how much media coverage, etc that happens, there simply is next to zero morality among these people and most likely monies have been exchanged and deals signed sealed and delivered.

I believe if the project is even thrown out, Peter will just rob Paul to pay off or 'correct' what monies have been spent/exchanged in this issue. And, as usual, it will be swept under the rug.

There are so many little shoot offs from this breakwater thing that haven't even been fully addressed. The govt is past its eyeballs in this kids of stuff. AND...I am sure they want to just get the Breakwater, Morrass Sell off, etc DONE before the next election, though both sides are in it.

So, to me the sunlight doesn't really matter. It is just fodder to talk about it more...No one will loose their job over this..

[captaind on Zion Hill]

VAN??????