How to save an island?

[underwater daphne]

hi
as some of you know my family has a small resort on pulau tioman in malaysia.

the problem is that there are various plans to develop the island, which will have a huge impact on tiomans eco system.

the link below should explain some of the problems:
http://allmalaysia.info/news/story.asp?file=/2004/6/5/state/8145376&sec=mi_pahang

other environmental, etc infos:
http://allmalaysia.info/news/story.asp?file=/2004/6/5/state/8145329&sec=mi_pahang

http://www.ecologyasia.com/NewsArchives/oct2003/thestar_20031030_2.htm

http://pkukmweb.ukm.my/~ahmad/tioman.html


is there any way to stop these projects?

many companies and unis have been using Tioman to study the marine life. will they have any interest in saving it?

what's the best way to go about something like this?

i'm worried about the diving/snorkelling and the impact these plans will have on our resort. Tioman was declared a Marine Park in 1985 but is not being treated like one.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Daphne,

Regretably, economic development often involves large amounts of money. Large amounts of money, in turn, often makes people behave in bizarre ways.

There are generally at least three groups of people involved in situations such as the one facing your family, and they engage in a sort of courtship mating ritual. There is the government, or whatever passes for one. There are the investors, and their agents - the representatives of hotel chains, restaurants, commercial establishments, and the various infrastructure of economic development. And then there is everyone else. This "everyone else" group is often divided into two sub-groups - those who may be employed by development, and thereby benefit from it; and those who may be negatively impacted by the economic development. (Often these two groups are comingled in interesting and covert ways - e.g. there are plenty of studies that suggest increasing levels of groundwater aquifer contamination and degradation beneath Cozumel, caused in part by the septic systems of the hotels that cater to tourists. Ergo, the maids, cooks, groundskeepers, and the rest of the workforce now have steady jobs and paychecks as a result of economic development; however, the water they drink, cook, and wash with is being steadily contaminated. Reality bites.)

Each of these three groups have interests to protect. Whose interests are best protected often depends on money and relative power. At the moment, you and your family have, uh - quite likely, relatively little power.

So at least some steps you might want to consider would look something like this:
1. Know who the players are. Identify who is involved with whom, and what they each stand to gain. For example, governments gain tax revenue and perks, investors gain return on their investment, locals gain jobs. A tidy win/win/win situation. So who loses and what do they lose? Anyone besides you?
2. Do your homework regarding outcomes and consequences of past development. Universities can help you here. Plenty of precedent exists. Most of it isn't pretty, from an ecological perspective, but your perspective is influenced considerably depending on which of the above groups you belong to. Pangs of remorse are often quieted by substantial profits.
3. If you want to have a seat at the table, you have to have a voice. It would be good to have some help here. Depending on who loses and what they lose, some university backing, some empirical evidence as to what ecological destruction is likely, some environmentalist associations, there are even international conservation Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) who might get involved. The bigger the 'voice' you bring to the table, the bigger the chair you'll get to sit in. The more 'say' you'll have in what happens.

Then instead of only three groups of "players", there are now four. At the very least, if you organize and get some empirical evidence behind you (as opposed to emotional fervor), you may at least participate in the discussion. Otherwise, you don't get to play.

Its unlikely that they will simply stop developing and go away, leaving your resort as pristine as it is today. However, if you have a seat at the table, you might be able to provide that four sets of interests are taken into consideration, rather than only three.

Remember that money makes people do weird things. The more folks you contact and get interested in your situation, the more likely it is that you might be able to avoid simply having to accept whatever the other three parties decide the outcome should be.

Best of luck,

Doc

 

[drbill]

Daphne-

Of course we see (and fight) this all the time in the States. In other countries the best way to fight such development seems to be to show the negative impacts on other economic activities will be more severe than the benefits to be gained by the development. For example... if Tioman has a good reputation as a dive location (I have certainly heard of it and although I've been to Malaysia, I've never been there), will that activity be so seriously impacted that it will result in the loss of divers (and revenue) in excess of what other types of development will bring? May be a hard fight.

Here on Catalina we see the same forces at work. Most business owners are in favor of any economic expansion (bringing cruise ships to the island for example). These actions have resulted in a degradation of our way of life- too many people, too many cars, etc. The island has lost some of the character that used to bring people. In addition, the higher prices charged by local businesses are beginning to price us out of the market.

Good luck!

The Other Doc

 

[underwater daphne]

Due to the support the islanders have been getting and their protests the plans for the marina have been postponed. also there are talks that the marina will be a bit further up nearer to the already existing pier, thus not taking away as many businesses and homes from the islanders.

http://202.186.86.35/news/search/default.asp?qs=tioman&ts=-1w&NewSearch=True

let's keep this up. thanks for the tips and ifos.

 

[archman]

Marine Policy & Management is something I have to keep up on as part of my job, so I know something about it. But I really can't say it much better than Doc Intrepid did... very well written!

Identifying and working with the concerned stakeholders is the best method, period.