sudden movement re destruction of the new pier

[Timpete]

This is one of the most interesting threads I have read. It sounds like politics in the US. You scratch my back,I wil scratch yours.

[Michael]

Originally Posted by scubakevin

but lets face facts, none of the politicians in Cancun for the last 26 years have been honest, NONE.

That statement completely destroys your credibility as a careful journalist reporting the facts. That is either a very sloppy piece of writing or a deliberate lie. Either one casts doubt over your infomercial, hopefully it had the words "Paid Advertisement" over the title when it first ran.

[diogeron]

At risk of dating myself, blowing up that pier would be an "act of revolutionary love..."

Originally Posted by ryberg

The preceding infomercial was brought to you by Ultramar et al

Really, they couldn't have painted a rosier picture of themselves, I don't think. Did you get all that from some press release or something?

Steve

Edit: Oh, my bad -- now I see where you got it. Sorry to read that!

[Brenda and Glen]

Originally Posted by Jimontheriver

Anyone have pictures of the beach before they stuck the GPR out there.

After your post I was thinking back to the first years I was there (about 11 years ago). I remember watching a wedding in front of the Real (no GPR - just sand and water and sunshine - beautiful! I may have some pictures somewhere - have to dig to find them!

[UnoCerveza]

So is this pier now being used by the Ultramar ferry? The story kind of petered out.

[JEZ]

Originally Posted by UnoCerveza

So is this pier now being used by the Ultramar ferry? The story kind of petered out.

Yes, the pier is used by the Blue and yellow ferries, though not all day long like the orinal pier. I am told the ferries bring cruise ship clients there, but this could be an urban legend!

[UnoCerveza]

Originally Posted by scubakevin

<snip>...Did you know that in 1998 at a press conference at the Fiesta Americana Cancun Hotel in Cancun PADI (The Professional Association of Diving Instructors) a world renowned diving certification agency and leader in Scuba Diving Standards together with Aquaworld pronounced Cancun the “Learn to Dive Capitol of the World” and both Aquaworld and PADI invested in promoting Cancun in that manner in DEMA. At that same Press Conference in as a joint effort between AquaWorld and the Federal Secretary of Tourism the Reef off the coast of Quintana Roo “Palancar Reef” was named “The Great Mayan Reef” to include the cultural implications of the zone that stretches on land the length of the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world. The press from all around Mexico as well as from the US came to participate in the conference with more than 100 journalists and politicians in attendance.....<snip>...

<Bolding mine>
Given that (according to your sources) AquaWorld was acutely aware of the reefs status and location, wouldn't you find it telling as a journalist to find no mention of any reefs in the subject pier's EIS application?

[opoll602]

After all of this i watched a threal in front of the Real no GPR - just sand and water and sunshine. I may have some pictures somewhere - have to dig to find them!
Nothing to say anyone just ask Question and Answer.

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Funny Quizzes and Quiz

[scubakevin]

As I sit on the beach every day tending to things, taking pictures, watching people go by I can say I did notice that Ultra Mar (The blue and yellow ones Jez) do go there on certain days.

Could it be related to Cruise Ship arrivals as Jez mentions that could be an urban legend?

I will take that as a task, the next time I see them there on the new pier.

Did anyone else happen to notice that the full moon was spectacular this this month?

[scubakevin]

Given that (according to your sources) AquaWorld was acutely aware of the reefs status and location

Any diver can tell you that you can get into the ocean almost anywhere from any beach and swim out a few meters and encounter coral. I did here and in Puerto Morelos and in Puerto Aventuras where ever you like along the coast, I have dived here since 1990. That doesn't make it part of the reef that is protected. Unlike the cozumel project where the EIS was falsified and allegedly someone went and blew up a section of reef as well as move the separated section so that when the Gov. sent their people for the study it would match (Urban Legend maybe) but when the Cozumel Cruise Ship pier was done those are the "rummors" surrounding the project. After all Cozumel literally sits on the "Great Mayan Reef".

Playa Del Carmen does not sit on the reef or really near it, the pier doesn't reach out far enough to disturb the reef and is not in the "protected area" as described in SEMARNAT's Maps.

I the Pier an "Eye Sore" mmm not sure, still holding opinion until it is done. But as a local business owner with several businesses that could be affected positively by any project that promises to bring or attract people I am taking the optimistic approach to the project now. I want to believe that Playa Del Carmen will prosper from the project somehow as a community, that it can bring jobs and that the impact is far less than everyone is whinning about.

How many jobs can it bring? Directly the Grand Puerto in Cancun's deteriorating Puerto Juarez area brought directly 200 jobs but resulted in businesses opening and re-opening nearby the project to serve the people arriving and departing daily. Locals and tourists alike use the Grand Puerto and thus the amount of foot and bus traffic increased when it opened.

So why don't we all sit back and see what the affects are, god knows Playa Del Carmen can use a boost in Jobs and Tourism Traffic.

[mexigirl]

Kevin,

My issue with the new pier is that it was built illegally. If we always yield and don't hold people accountable, it will be chaos!

Plus, I personally believe that it is resulting in more erosion to the south. We have had our property south of the "old Pier" for 11 years, and ever since that new pier was put in place, there has been more erosion. Yes, I know that there is world wide erosion and we went through 2 Cat 5 hurricanes, all of which had/have a significant impact on the beach.

I'm sorry but I say we make them take it down!!

[scubakevin]

Hey Mexgirl,

Well obviously the pier was not built illegally, they had permits to build it but the bottom line is they will never take it down.

Legally speaking (Mexico Law that is) if there was an "error" in the construction and you look at similar "errors" in construction of things in Playa Del Carmen or Cancun that went off the original permit none of them have been torn down or modified. A good recent example is the "El Faro" project on the beach between the 2 piers which exceeds the permitted height of buildings in the zone, they had permits to build and built but went over the allowed height. What was or is their punishment? Take off the top floor and a half that exceeds? Well maybe in the US they would make you do that, here no, they had to revitalize a few streets in Playa Del Carmen near the beach and that was it and they never finished the renovations of the streets but they look better than before.

Riu did the same thing in Cancun years ago with the Riu Palace building 2 floors above what was permited and of course those floors were never "removed" a fine was paid and they collect the revenue daily from rentals.

The situation is complicated legally, the motive to remove or stop the pier was a local Ecological Plan (not a law) that was enacted in 2003 (Federal Permits were issued in 2002 for the dock) and as in any country federal law supercides local or state laws and thus the dock stays.

PROFEPA the Federal Policing agency for Maritme Zones testified before the federal court that they did an environmental study after the order was given to suspend the project and "THE AQUAWORLD DOCK DOES NOT AFFECT IN ANY WAY THE JARDINES REEF".

The Federal Court has ordered all agencies to re-instate all permits related to construction and operation of the dock. Also bear in mind that the pier is authorized to build 320 meters of dock and have only built to date 200 meters and the order from the federal court gives them a green light to finish all that work. I doubt they will because after so many costs on legal issues and money sitting there, they most likely will begin operations and then continue construction later.

On another note, there is alot of publicity from them on cruiseship sites, apparently they are working together with the diverse cruise companies to pre-contract transfers to playa del carmen.

Photo Taken from Bliss Beach Club between 4th and 6th street.


Happy Day to All...

[JEZ]

Originally Posted by scubakevin

...but the bottom line is they will never take it down.


PROFEPA the Federal Policing agency for Maritme Zones testified before the federal court that they did an environmental study after the order was given to suspend the project and "THE AQUAWORLD DOCK DOES NOT AFFECT IN ANY WAY THE JARDINES REEF".

I agree, there is im my mind no possibility that the pier will be dismantled. One of the main reasons for dismantling it is due to the percieved impact on Jardines reef, and demolition of the Pier would IMHO be catastrophic for the reef. I have seen how things are done here first hand...

Whilst not being a quailified marine conservationist, I have seen the cruise ships all around Cayman island, and they have not caused damage to the reef by simply being there. It is the same on Roatan island where there has not been a negative effect by boat traffic passing overhead.

The rights and the wrongs of the issue are really only theoretically important now. This situation will not change, so perhaps we should look forward and be extra vigilant to ensure similar breaches of the enviromental code are not erronneously made again. Also it is a good possibility that some extra jobs will be created by the operation of the pier. Whilst some would say that is a short term gain, to the unemployed people of Playa ( of which many I meet daily ) it would be a major boost...

[absoluteAL]

I was told yesterday that the north pier at the foot of Constituyentes has been shut down for the time being, at least, by the government. I am only relaying what was told to me by a 25 year resident of Playa. I am only the messenger.

[ryberg]

Originally Posted by scubakevin

Hey Mexgirl,

Well obviously the pier was not built illegally, they had permits to build it...

My impression was that federal courts said that it had precisely been built illegally, in part due to the compromised EIS. Perhaps it's just a question of terminology. But I would agree in that I don't think it will be taken down, no.

Steve