If you live in Westpunt you are very familiar with the changes at Playa Grande, or the Fisherman's beach as many refer to it. What you may not be aware of is the fact that everyone involved seems to be benefiting but the people of Westpunt.

The tour operators are making a lot of money for just dropping off people to swim around and see the turtles. The vendors on the beach are doing very well selling food, renting equipment and chairs and umbrellas. Yes, they are all doing very well, at the expense of Westpunt.

Because what are the residents of the village receiving other than a dirtier and more crowded beach? The fishermen cannot even dock their boats beach because of jet skis and people swimming, and this makes it really dangerous for everyone, except of course the people cashing in.

The bottom line for those of us that live here is that what used to be a meeting place where people could sit and talk and enjoy their neighbors is now frankly, a mess.

But that's progress right? I agree with that providing that the residents of Westpunt are also benefiting from all this. They are decidedly not. What gives all these vendors the right to make all this money and not compensate the village for the inconvenience and ecological damage this is all causing? Why can't the town benefit from this "progress"? Why is it that the villagers get the short end of the stick?

The bus operators should be paying for the right to park and drop off people. The vendors for the right to use the beach to make money. The funds should be used by the town to improve things for the villagers. For example, there are many young women here with kids that have no ability to go to school or have a job because they have no childcare. Those funds could be used to pay for daycare at the community center.

I challenge anyone to give me a good reason why the villagers should not be sharing in all this. They are the people that have been feeding these turtles for decades, not the businessmen who are making all this cash.

If you agree with me, I ask that you contact me at jreuben5656@gmail.com. We all need to work together to correct this unfairness and that means joining our voices to get it done.

Sincerely,

John Reuben
Westpunt