Save Aruba island wildlife, petition

This video says about itself:

24 December 2013

Arikok National Park on Aruba comprises of almost 20% of the island and contains some of Aruba’s unique cultural, historical and geological sites as well as diverse local flora and fauna. Come discover Aruba’s National Park, Arikok!

From Aruba Birdlife Conservation:

Stop the destruction of nature areas in Aruba

A call for support to stop the destruction of nature areas in Aruba

To:

1. The Prime Minister of Aruba, the Honorable Mike Eman
2. Parliament of Aruba
3. The Governor of Aruba, the Honorable Fredis Refunjol

A. On February 6th, 2013, all twenty-one members of the Parliament of Aruba, the highest institution of our democratic system, voted in a unanimous fashion in favor of a motion to protect 16 areas and to have them declared as nature areas of national importance and to incorporate these areas into the Arikok National Park. These areas are of local and international importance to resident and migratory birds.

B. Four of these areas have been designated Important Bird Areas by Birdlife International and one is a RAMSAR wetland area.

C. So far the government has failed to implement the decision of the democratically elected parliament and this inaction will further endanger these habitats and the species within the 16 proposed protected areas. The government has compounded its non-action by granting building permits at the Bubali bird sanctuary where habitat destruction has and will continue to take place. The government’s in-action, against the will of the island’s elected representatives, will further degrade, fragment, and destroy, important habitat at multiple locations throughout the island.

D. Moreover, the Government is taking action to break open the Spatial Development Plan (R.O.P. or Ruimtelijke Ontwikkelings Plan) with intentions to remove the protective status of green zones, wetlands and other areas to facilitate further building and development of hotels and condominiums.

E. The signers of this petition are herewith calling on you:

To stop the destruction of nature taking place at the Bubali Bird Sanctuary;
To implement, secure and enforce appropriate regulatory actions by the Government, leading to the full protection of these sixteen areas already recognised by the Parliament of Aruba;
To incorporate these 16 areas into the Arikok National Park as determined by the highest institution of our democratic system, the Parliament of Aruba;
To not remove the protective status of any and all green zones of Aruba as designated in the existing Spatial Development Plan (R.O.P. or Ruimtelijke Ontwikkelings Plan).

This petition has been developed by Foundation Aruba Birdlife Conservation.