Sand dumped at Chogogo?

[jomcclain]

I saw a post on Facebook that the Chogogo resort illegally dumped sand on their shoreline, which then washed out, causing extensive damage on front porch and bari. Does anyone know if this is accurate, how bad the damage is, whether they will have consequences? Please don’t reply with info from “Bonaire for Divers” group on Facebook, since that’s where I got this info in the first place.

 

[tursiops]

Last year Chogogo imported some sand from French Guiana, but did not have the necessary permits to use that sand for beach improvement. they were fined $1.2 M dollars for doing this. In November, everybody made up and agreed to play nice. A few days later Chogogo threatened to take Bonaire to court for imposing the fine. The following week the Bonaire government said OK, you can have your permit. A few weeks later the opposition party took umbrage at the permitting process, and a public debate was scheduled for the following week, at which the coalition parties did not show, so with no quorum the debate was cancelled. It got more interesting at the end of December, when claims of immunity and whistleblowers and and criminal investigations arose.

I have seen NO reports of damage to the reef; all the angst is about the permitting process.

 

[scubadada]

Last year Chogogo imported some sand from French Guiana, but did not have the necessary permits to use that sand for beach improvement. they were fined $1.2 M dollars for doing this. In November, everybody made up and agreed to play nice. A few days later Chogogo threatened to take Bonaire to court for imposing the fine. The following week the Bonaire government said OK, you can have your permit. A few weeks later the opposition party took umbrage at the permitting process, and a public debate was scheduled for the following week, at which the coalition parties did not show, so with no quorum the debate was cancelled. It got more interesting at the end of December, when claims of immunity and whistleblowers and and criminal investigations arose.

I have seen NO reports of damage to the reef; all the angst is about the permitting process.

@tursoips post is my understanding. I was under the impression that there would be retaining wall for the beach sand. My photo from Nov 2021 likely shows the sand intended for the "beach". Whether there is a retaining wall is unknown. Anybody have more recent observation?

 

[E King]

I saw a post on Facebook that the Chogogo resort illegally dumped sand on their shoreline, which then washed out, causing extensive damage on front porch and bari. Does anyone know if this is accurate, how bad the damage is, whether they will have consequences? Please don’t reply with info from “Bonaire for Divers” group on Facebook, since that’s where I got this info in the first place.

Chogogo resort dumped sand illegally in front of their new resort. It has washed out to sea and smothered the reef, formerly known as Front Porch and is now encroaching on Bari(
See Below:

Bonaire: Chogogo Resort construction halted due to illegal work
LOCAL | By Correspondent Nov. 4, 2021
The authorities on Bonaire have stopped construction of the Chogogo tourist resort on the beach, because rules have been broken. The contractor dumped 2300 cubic meters of sand, originating from French Guiana, without a permit and without taking any measures. For example, a wall should have been erected to protect the vulnerable coral off the coast from the sand.
In July, the contractors of the four-star resort had already been warned that they were not allowed to continue working without a permit. Now a penalty of one million euros has been imposed and construction has come to a standstill.
LOCAL | By Correspondent Nov. 4, 2021
KRALENDIJK - The authorities on Bonaire have stopped the construction of the Chogogo Resort Bonaire due to the illegal widening of the beach. For this purpose, 3,500 tons of sand were imported from French Guiana.
The resort must pay a penalty of $1.2 million to the Bonairean government. In July, a warning was issued that no further construction was allowed without a permit. There are no concrete indications about the role and involvement of the contractor. The NOS reports that the contractor denies being involved in the above work through his lawyer.
Depositing the sand without a protective wall can be a serious threat to the coral. In addition, it was not possible to check the quality of the sand from French Guiana.
*
Now it appears that Government, Governor Rijna and Commissioner Kroon have sold out-
No fine will be imposed. Building continues and the REEF is DEAD!

 

[tursiops]

Chogogo resort dumped sand illegally in front of their new resort. It has washed out to sea and smothered the reef, formerly known as Front Porch and is now encroaching on Bari(
See Below:

Bonaire: Chogogo Resort construction halted due to illegal work
LOCAL | By Correspondent Nov. 4, 2021
The authorities on Bonaire have stopped construction of the Chogogo tourist resort on the beach, because rules have been broken. The contractor dumped 2300 cubic meters of sand, originating from French Guiana, without a permit and without taking any measures. For example, a wall should have been erected to protect the vulnerable coral off the coast from the sand.
In July, the contractors of the four-star resort had already been warned that they were not allowed to continue working without a permit. Now a penalty of one million euros has been imposed and construction has come to a standstill.
LOCAL | By Correspondent Nov. 4, 2021
KRALENDIJK - The authorities on Bonaire have stopped the construction of the Chogogo Resort Bonaire due to the illegal widening of the beach. For this purpose, 3,500 tons of sand were imported from French Guiana.
The resort must pay a penalty of $1.2 million to the Bonairean government. In July, a warning was issued that no further construction was allowed without a permit. There are no concrete indications about the role and involvement of the contractor. The NOS reports that the contractor denies being involved in the above work through his lawyer.
Depositing the sand without a protective wall can be a serious threat to the coral. In addition, it was not possible to check the quality of the sand from French Guiana.
*
Now it appears that Government, Governor Rijna and Commissioner Kroon have sold out-
No fine will be imposed. Building continues and the REEF is DEAD!

@Elizabeth King, you have made unsubstantiated claims on Trip Advisor, repeated them on Facebook, and now have joined ScubaBoard in order to repeat them here. You provide no reports, no photos, nothing --repeat nothing-- to back up your claims.

Yes, sand was dumped. You claim it has killed the reef. No evidence. Purely a made-up statement. The fine they received was for not having an approved permit, NOT because they harmed the reef. Try and get your facts right. You won't get called out on Trip Advisor or Facebook for posting nonsense, but it won't fly here.

 

[rmorgan]

I was under the impression that there would be retaining wall for the beach sand.

Weren't there drawings that showed the wall? We dove Bari a couple of days ago, and I didn't see anything terrible, sand-wise. Although to my eye the resort is a blight, at least it's close to done. The parking lot remains open and available, the mound of sand on the way to the entry is at least packed hard now (although I can't figure out why it was left there), and there isn't a constant flow of trucks. But if there's a wall, it didn't jump out at me. I'll pull in this week and take a look. Much more irritating that cruise ships are lined up like grouper at a cleaning station.

 

[E King]

I saw a post on Facebook that the Chogogo resort illegally dumped sand on their shoreline, which then washed out, causing extensive damage on front porch and bari. Does anyone know if this is accurate, how bad the damage is, whether they will have consequences? Please don’t reply with info from “Bonaire for Divers” group on Facebook, since that’s where I got this info in the first place.

Someone keep deleting the posts and links to articles

 

[tursiops]

Someone keep deleting the posts and links to articles

That is done by the admins of that FB site, because you are reporting falsehoods and that is not allowed.
The articles you keep linking to do NOT mention that the reefs have been damaged; there is no point in continuing to assert that.

 

[agd]

Out of curiosity, we did a walk through the new Chogogo resort. It appeared to me that the imported sand was behind a retaining wall. It was that kind of fine white sand everyone loves on an idyllic beach, whereas on the sea side of the retaining wall the natural beach was the coarser sand and coral rubble typical of Bonaire, seemingly unchanged from before.

I also did a dive in front. The broken down pier and the sand flats with the modest outcroppings seemed unchanged. The dropoff was untouched.

So while I cannot be certain that absolutely no new sand got onto the reef, it is hyperbole to suggest that the reef has been destroyed.

I share the mixed feelings about some of the development, but will refrain from hysteria about it.

 

[jomcclain]

Out of curiosity, we did a walk through the new Chogogo resort. It appeared to me that the imported sand was behind a retaining wall. It was that kind of fine white sand everyone loves on an idyllic beach, whereas on the sea side of the retaining wall the natural beach was the coarser sand and coral rubble typical of Bonaire, seemingly unchanged from before.

I also did a dive in front. The broken down pier and the sand flats with the modest outcroppings seemed unchanged. The dropoff was untouched.

So while I cannot be certain that absolutely no new sand got onto the reef, it is hyperbole to suggest that the reef has been destroyed.

I share the mixed feelings about some of the development, but will refrain from hysteria about it.

Relieved to read this from someone who checked it out first hand!