What happens when a natural disaster demolishes a popular tourist destination? Well, the federal government declares it a Federal Emergency and everyone is bailed out, right? Not in Mexico.
From the AP via the Environmental News Network:
Mexican environmental officials said Monday they have authorized a private reconstruction project for Mexico's famous Caribbean beaches after much of the sugar-white sand was washed away last month by Hurricane Wilma.
The federal government approved a plan by hotel owners to build 2 miles (3 kilometers) of artificial beach adjacent to 25 hotels in Cancun, where the storm caused an estimated US$1 billion (euro850 million) in damage and washed away vast stretches of beach.Environmental Secretary Jose Luis Luege said in a statement that the new beach, made from sand dredged from the sea floor off Cancun, will be bankrolled entirely by private interests.
The private project is to be supplemented with a government funded project to restore non-resort beaches:
Luege said the privately financed efforts will complement a federal plan to rebuild an additional 18 miles (28 kilometers) of beaches lost to Wilma.
The private resorts have an interest in beach restoration--future profits. Why would we expect anything other than the private resorts to pay for the restoration?
