thierrydehove wrote:Guys
It's sadely true and I don't want to waste my time to explain but the new politic in SXM don't give a shit about kite and they want to create an aquarium... It's not a joke
Any way we are fighting with the official rules and law to get back this unique spot
So please it will be helpful if you can post some comments and click on like to help us and you also
http://touch.facebook.com/#/profile.php ... 116&v=feed
Keep
Thierry
Thierry:
If you want to keep (or regain) access, your odds of doing so are going DOWN every day pressure does not INCREASE to restore kiting. This is because, as you can see from the posts, potential supporters will go elsewhere and lose interest and the more entrenched the status quo of NO KITING becomes, the harder it will be to effect change.
If you don’t have the time to try some of the following suggestions, I suggest that you make a major effort to
convince the local kiting establishments to do so. They should have a strong financial incentive to succeed and you might point out that
IF IT LOOKS EASY to displace kiters, it WON’T STOP with just one location.
I don’t know anything about your location and am just guessing at some possible approaches but it’s obviously a TOURIST trap highly dependent on tourism for economic viability.
ANYTHING that makes them THINK tourism MIGHT suffer will make them more conciliatory – probably in direct proportion to how worried they get.
1. Put together
a petition succinctly stating as many reasons as possible as to why the ban is unfair, illegal, excessive, discriminatory, biased in favor of a specific group(s), and potentially DAMAGING to the locations ECONOMY. You might hint at how spreading
discontent and BAD publicity will discourage many NON-KITERS from visiting besides eliminating ALL kiters and their families.
This post is the EXACT type of quote you want to ask signers to put in a comment:
“
fernmanus wrote:I have traveled to St. Martin 3 times to go kiteboarding. Each time my wife and I stayed for 8 - 10 days. We also spent several thousand dollars on lodging, food, etc. This year we did not go to St. Martin because of the ban. Until the ban is lifted, I will be spending my money elsewhere.
”
2. Besides posting the petition on
every kiting forum and kiting company web site, try to find a way to link it to OTHER users WORLDWIDE. For example, someone mentioned that there was
allegedly concern about BIRDS. This is
VERY REAL THREAT to MANY types of recreation and some of these OTHER user groups are not only GIGANTIC compared to kiters, but are getting MILITANT about being screwed over supposedly for some bird. Some groups include
Recreational Vehicle owners (LOTS of money and organization),
Dog owners (can tend toward violence when their pet’s welfare is threatened),
Fishermen (another MASSIVE group backed by a powerful industry), etc. Any of these people who have been, or are BEING jerked around allegedly because of some bird or turtle may well be willing to help you even if they don’t even know where you are
because they want to stop this trend.
Maybe you have
locals that are upset with tour boats and crass commercialized tourism who would rather see you in the bay than polluting Personal Watercraft or sewage dumping cruise ships. Any
local business who you convince will have their income adversely affected (even if its in the future) will have a disproportionate amount of influence on the regulators if you get them to say ANYTHING.
3. If there is a reasonable basis for some alleged concerns, such as interference with non-kiters, state that there are reasonable ways to alleviate their concerns. And although you will need to EVENTUALLY actually to come up with something reasonable, you needn’t do it until they’re at least willing to discuss it.
4. Try to get someone with legal knowledge to research the laws regarding the ban.
VERY OFTEN authorities enact regulations beyond the scope of their mandate or don’t do so in the EXACT manner REQUIRED by law. If you can find these types of flaws, you might actually WIN immediately. At the very least it will rot their minds and create endless unanticipated problems which will motivate them toward conciliation.
5.
REMEMBER, NOBODY wants to avoid work more than typical bureaucrats. If you make it MORE WORK to screw with you than to do what you want, you’ll have THEM looking for a way to MAKE YOU HAPPY.
ALL KITERS SHOULD WANT TO STOP BANS WHEREVER THEY OCCUR because every ban that succeeds makes the next one easier and any effort made in resistance will be MORE PRODUCTIVE BEFORE BANS BECOME THE ACCEPTED METHODOF DEALING WITH KITERS.
Richard M.
Malibu Kitesurfing - since 2002
(310) - 430 - KITE (5483)
http://www.MalibuKitesurfing.NET
kfRichard@MalibuKitesurfing.NET