Have a look at today’s newspapers- are you able to discern the dirty game that some of our journaluses are playing -those ones that seem to have been bought up by the promoters and Govt ? They look very objective , they are the guardians of impartiality and they make sure that they do sound to be ecologically conscious just to be with the present trend and, more importantly , to fool us.
They have been sent to the frontlines to dilute and distort the debate . “It’s not just about the promoters and us , the situation is more complex than it looks. There are vested interests at play” they alert us .
And covertly they are at work earmarking the different social categories and classifying us as follows : the outsiders, the Roches Noires historical wealthier class, the Roches Noires commoner- the one at the bottom of the scale struggling to make a living from the sea- and of course, the long-time opponent of the sugar barons - the descendants of our hard-working, back breaking agricultural workers and small planters.
The whole scene is now set up to explore the interiority of suspicion and the struggle of accepting the inevitable. Having trapped you in these different categories, it’s easier for them to go for the final kill. “Most of those, who are not among the well-off private sector oligarchy, are favorable for the Smart City project given the benefits that they could theoretically derive from it.”. They have succeeded in distorting the debate and confusing people.
This is akin to some journaluses enticing communities to dig their own (environmental) grave and handing over a shovel. They pick up some few locals , who have not been properly explained about the complexities of the project; they exhibit it as if this view is shared by all residents – you see, “most of the residents do believe that the project would boost the region’s economy and increase its potential. It is well received by the community who hope it will bring economic benefits." And supposedly seeking equal consideration to equity, environment and economy while finding possible remedies, the promoters have engaged with “different and diverse perspectives” that of environmentalists, activists, village level and so on.
They lead us to conclude that the developmental exigencies have clearly superseded the exaggerated concern for nature. They are providing this neglected region with jobs and potential for growth while ensuring that the protection and strengthening of our natural ecosystems have been mainstreamed into the Smart City project. And the icing on the cake is that they pretend to be also concerned about other related issues-that they do flag out like scholarships and other special considerations for the village kids …- that are of interest to the consenting villagers and that the promoters should take on board in their total investment of Rs 41 billion. That’s like a chess game that they are playing, conscious of the impact of their every move.
But most of us know that this pristine area will be disturbed, which has sparked the ire of locals and environmentalists. ROCHES NOIRES is widely regarded as one of our most unique ecosystem. We all know that most of the EIA reports conceal the impact of these massive Smart City projects on forests, biodiversity .., the long-term irreversible damage !
What about the double standards of our Govt prioritising immediate economic benefits over long term environmental damage while faking concerns at the world stage about protecting our forests, our biodiversity , of developing sustainable projects that generate carbon credits. Such grandstanding is backed by precious little , mere hogwash and lip service.
What about our private sector which is hoping to bring in more tourists when everything that would bring tourists to “nou zoli pei” is being buried under concrete destroying - our wildlife, our caves, our forests, our biodiversity; their thinking is from the time of dinosaurs.
Why the hell are we doing this? The Roches Noires Smart City project would be very short-term thinking trumping long-term thinking of safeguarding the country’s wealth for future generations.
There can be no gambles with the environment: simply unacceptable; unacceptable if we are to preserve the environmental uniqueness of Roches Noires. !
«Nous sommes en train d'échouer en matière de développement, de vision durable et nous ne faisons qu'endommager notre ile, la rendant plus vulnérable encore.»Carina Gounden, militante de l'environment.
