Author: Kathy Niclaus (---.nwrknj.east.verizon.net)
Date: 04-27-06 19:26
Wade, thank you for pointing out my error. I thought the column for US was to indicate which percentile of the population were US citizens. At first I was rather perplexed to see what a low percentile was living below the poverty level, because I would have thought there would be a higher poverty level as well as a higher Latino population. I thought that maybe most of the natives had been driven from the island because the cost of maintaining a homestead had exceeded their ability to maintain it based on increased property taxes combined with low income. It's happened all over the Caribbean, it happened on Hilton Head Island and Kiawah island, Key West (a fishing community without a single fishing boat left) and generations of native families are displaced. When that happens, a cultural genocide occurs.
I will be the first one to admit that my initial post was very antagonistic, but that's to get people to think about the impact of what's going on around them. I have done a lot of research on these two Spanish Virgins because my brother wanted to go to Culebra while I preferred to merely visit Vieques, and the more I read, the stronger I felt in my inclination. People running businesses on Culebra have declined having their real name or full name to be used in published articles because they say they are "dropping out", but dropping out can also be trying to drop off the radar.
I think it's hilarous that Frank thinks I have an agenda. What, do you think I work for a hotel chain? Hardly. I just think it's laughable when people get irritated when someone else finds out about something that they are making money off of and moves in on it. I grew up in a coastal area, and we locals have never encouraged people to come here. The people with the small hotels, the businesses, they all wanted it because they wanted the money, but the locals, we hate it when the summer people come and always have hated it. We don't make money off of them, and support ourselves elsewhere. Tourism is not profitable for anyone but the owners and the large corporations who eventually pick up the scent of money near a beach, and plop down a hotel. I don't know a single person who ever made a liveable wage working "over on the beach."
There is also a very negative environmental impact in areas which burgeon into resorts because they seldom have the infrastructure to support the rush of visitors, and in the end everyone gets screwed. The water and land suffers, the locals get taxed to improve everything, and really only the tourists benefit once a big hotel moves in. That's because the local places which keep a stranglehold on prices and low standards have to deal with the bar being raised.
I did find a couple of places on Culebra with glowing reviews on and off this board, and not just because of the owner being "nice." One place in particular stands out. There are ethics and civic minded activities attached to this individual as well. Some people complained about the place, but some people want a Ritz Carlton. Even so, the rate there for one particular room had a 65% increase between December 2002 and December 2005. Now, with the rate of inflation and other variables put in, that is still excessive. Maybe some levy occured in the municipality that I am unaware of- can anyone here give me a single compelling motivation for that increase other than the rationale of "I'm charging it because I can get it," honestly?
Americans used to be able to be objective and look at two sides of an issue without being offended. What's interesting to note is that in my initial post I made no exact reference to any individual or property, but left it up to the consumer to investigate to determine which properties are not living up to what they advertise. In my first post, I made no personal attack on anyone, but the natural response to my criticism and incorrect quote from the census page has been to attack me personally.
So, I climbed into the ring with Frank and Debbie and took a few swings once they threw the first punches, but how else do you get people to think about things? I would never have written my original post if I did not keep reading and re-reading the visitor's posts about dinnertime conversation on the island being a constant litany of island ex-pats complaining about encroaching development. I'm sorry, they have only themselves to blame. Personally, if I had a special secret place, I'd keep it to myself, I wouldn't build a house there and then advertise it to the whole world just to get someone else to pick up the tab for my mortgage and/or to finance my ability to live there all year without working while I rent half of the place out as a guest lodging. It's like the guy who finds a treasure and then tells just one person and says to keep it a secret- before you know it the news is out all over town, and his treasure has been raided. And who do you think is going to suffer the most from all of this? Uh, the natives. Don't believe me? Go ask that guy Abe doing kayak tours on Vieques- according to him, he had to move there from St. Croix because encroaching development forced him off his native island- he says his former home is now an estate.
Just another day in paradise.
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