Tempers flare at meeting on coastal developments

A PUBLIC meeting last week on two development proposals affecting prime stretches of beach just north of Walvis Bay has confirmed deep divisions within the coastal community.

Afterwards, some opponents of the projects accused certain proponents of having run a well-orchestrated campaign to hijack the meeting. At the meeting, a group of young residents from Kuisebmond reacted fiercely to concerns over developments voiced by environmentalists.Concerned residents demanded that a public meeting be held when the projects were first advertised for objections, five months ago.Subsequently, most of their concerns were noted and listed in the presentation given to the meeting by Alan Jenneker of Enviro Solutions, the company responsible for the relevant environmental impact assessment.Only four new grounds of concern were raised at Tuesday’s meeting.The young Kuisebmond residents focused on the developments’ socio economical potential: all the individuals who spoke referred to what they called the projects’ potential to create job opportunities.”The needs of people at grassroots level are to put bread on the table, and I therefore give my blessing to anyone who wants to develop,” said Lesley Gariseb, who indicated that he worked in the tourism industry.With all the references to job opportunities, a Swakopmund resident asked how many permanent jobs would be created by the two developments.Jenneker said no figures were available, but added that providing infrastructure would take up to two years, while construction was planned to take place over five years.Referring to concerns already summarised in the presentation, Gariseb remarked that not all people went to the beach: “We come from different classes,” he said.One of the concerns mentioned had been that the area was to be developed as prime beachfront land.Gariseb also rejected another concern, that viewing bottlenose dolphins from the beach could be disturbed by engine-driven water activities resulting from the development of a hotel..”I am convinced most of my fellow Kuisebmond residents do not know the difference between a bottlenose and a Heaviside dolphin, neither have they seen these animals,” said Gariseb.According to him, none of his clients had ever asked to see the Damara tern, a bird that breeds on this coast: “They are only interested in seeing the flamingos at the lagoon.The number of tourists coming to Namibia to see the Damara tern is zero”.Keith Wearne, from the Coastal Environmental Trust of Namibia, asked that a strategic environmental impact assessment be conducted for the whole beach area between the two central coastal towns.This suggestion was supported by Lizette Voges of the National Biodiversity Programme.Voges said such a study would make it easier to take decisions in future as “there will certainly be more applications for further development in the area”.She added that with the advent of aquaculture, the central coast would also be a popular area for these activities.Speaking last, Augustinus Katiti, CEO of the Walvis Bay Council, said valid concerns had been raised.”It became clear tonight that what is good for one is not necessarily good for another,” Katiti said.”Our role as Municipality is to be right in the middle”.He added though that the Municipality supported development and “I am also convinced that environmentalists support development”.After the meeting, several residents present at the meeting voiced suspicion of the young residents who vociferously supported the development.Some commented on what they felt was the similarity of tone and content in their remarks.One of those who accused supporters of the projects of trying to silence the objectors said: “Nobody can argue with a person who wants a job and puts food on his family’s table.And we are not against that.It is more the location of the development we have a problem with.Why can’t the developers do the same at Walvis Bay where there is still lots of land available?” The upsurge in development proposals aimed at prime beachfront land between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay has become a cause of great concern for environmentally conscious residents.Not only is the area the world’s most important breeding ground for the Damara Tern, which is endemic to Namibia, it is one of the world’s richest feeding grounds for shore birds.It is also an important recreational area for residents of the two coastal towns, while the scenic beauty where the dunes meet the ocean is regarded as a major drawcard for tourists visiting the coast.Jenneker, of Enviro Solutions, said suitable modifications to the original plan would be developed from the concerns raised as part of the environmental-impact-assessment process.The final report will be submitted to the authorities, with the Environment and Tourism Ministry having the final say on whether to approve the developments.At the meeting, a group of young residents from Kuisebmond reacted fiercely to concerns over developments voiced by environmentalists. Concerned residents demanded that a public meeting be held when the projects were first advertised for objections, five months ago. Subsequently, most of their concerns were noted and listed in the presentation given to the meeting by Alan Jenneker of Enviro Solutions, the company responsible for the relevant environmental impact assessment. Only four new grounds of concern were raised at Tuesday’s meeting. The young Kuisebmond residents focused on the developments’ socio economical potential: all the individuals who spoke referred to what they called the projects’ potential to create job opportunities. “The needs of people at grassroots level are to put bread on the table, and I therefore give my blessing to anyone who wants to develop,” said Lesley Gariseb, who indicated that he worked in the tourism industry. With all the references to job opportunities, a Swakopmund resident asked how many permanent jobs would be created by the two developments. Jenneker said no figures were available, but added that providing infrastructure would take up to two years, while construction was planned to take place over five years. Referring to concerns already summarised in the presentation, Gariseb remarked that not all people went to the beach: “We come from different classes,” he said. One of the concerns mentioned had been that the area was to be developed as prime beachfront land. Gariseb also rejected another concern, that viewing bottlenose dolphins from the beach could be disturbed by engine-driven water activities resulting from the development of a hotel.. “I am convinced most of my fellow Kuisebmond residents do not know the difference between a bottlenose and a Heaviside dolphin, neither have they seen these animals,” said Gariseb. According to him, none of his clients had ever asked to see the Damara tern, a bird that breeds on this coast: “They are only interested in seeing the flamingos at the lagoon. The number of tourists coming to Namibia to see the Damara tern is zero”. Keith Wearne, from the Coastal Environmental Trust of Namibia, asked that a strategic environmental impact assessment be conducted for the whole beach area between the two central coastal towns. This suggestion was supported by Lizette Voges of the National Biodiversity Programme. Voges said such a study would make it easier to take decisions in future as “there will certainly be more applications for further development in the area”. She added that with the advent of aquaculture, the central coast would also be a popular area for these activities. Speaking last, Augustinus Katiti, CEO of the Walvis Bay Council, said valid concerns had been raised. “It became clear tonight that what is good for one is not necessarily good for another,” Katiti said. “Our role as Municipality is to be right in the middle”. He added though that the Municipality supported development and “I am also convinced that environmentalists support development”. After the meeting, several residents present at the meeting voiced suspicion of the young residents who vociferously supported the development. Some commented on what they felt was the similarity of tone and content in their remarks. One of those who accused supporters of the projects of trying to silence the objectors said: “Nobody can argue with a person who wants a job and puts food on his family’s table. And we are not against that. It is more the location of the development we have a problem with. Why can’t the developers do the same at Walvis Bay where there is still lots of land available?” The upsurge in development proposals aimed at prime beachfront land between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay has become a cause of great concern for environmentally conscious residents. Not only is the area the world’s most important breeding ground for the Damara Tern, which is endemic to Namibia, it is one of the world’s richest feeding grounds for shore birds. It is also an important recreational area for residents of the two coastal towns, while the scenic beauty where the dunes meet the ocean is regarded as a major drawcard for tourists visiting the coast. Jenneker, of Enviro Solutions, said suitable modifications to the original plan would be developed from the concerns raised as part of the environmental-impact-assessment process. The final report will be submitted to the authorities, with the Environment and Tourism Ministry having the final say on whether to approve the developments.