Since Jose Aleman, the Chairman of Seine Bight is being accused of being the operational force behind the weekend clearings, our news pressed him for a comment in response to the complaints from the residents of Maya Beach and Seine Bight.
This evening, he granted us a telephone interview to explain the actions of the work crew. Here are those comments:
Jose Aleman - Chairman, Seine Bight Village Council
"The placencia peninsula being a tourist destination that it is and our pristine beaches to attract not only international and regional tourists but also tourists. If you look at how people wanted to walk across from area of the beach to another area of the beach which they could not have done but rather take of their clothing and walk into the water at least 150 feet in water, other wise you would have to turn right back and go another route. So I am looking for the reasoning as to why anybody would have to walk into the water when we should have public access to the beach to go from point a to point b. I have pictures on my phone to show you that walkers can watch the beach clear with no obstruction, I actually saw the complaint and in there stated that she curses seemly because of frustration but if we were undermining like what was done to the Seine Bight village council, you would have heard all the negativity and all the curse words that were used. My brother that is uncalled for and she did not mention using public access as her driveway not letting people getting access to the beach."
Daniel Ortiz
"Do you acknowledge or concede that the beach that you are trying to give the community access to is slowly being encroached upon by the sea sir?"
Jose Aleman
"My brother, if you look upon the peninsula inclusive of Seine Bight, climate change is taking it's course the way we are living and the things we choose to do and the way we do it, climate is hitting us very hard."
Daniel Ortiz
"Since you all have removed what she thinks was a good buffer for that erosion, what's going to be done to address the erosion that the same beach that you're trying to give access to will disappear in some years from now if that erosion is not halted."
Jose Aleman
"Brother Daniel, I am not rocket scientist, I cannot tell you how and when erosion will come, I cannot tell you how and when to stop any erosion but I am also looking into the reasoning as to why she does not want the public to walk on the sea shore."
Chairman Aleman sent pictures that show the beachfront before Saturday's clearing effort, and what it looks like now. And indeed, the beach now has more access. But, it also lends credibility to what Deborah Coston is concerned about; the area might now be more exposed to coastal erosion.
When we asked about the allegations of the mangrove clearing, Chairman Aleman made it clear that he and his beach-clearing helpers had nothing to do with that. He asserts that he only received a briefing that it had occurred.
