Branson does about turn on turtles
(CNS): The owner of the Virgin Group, who claims to be an avid support of conservation and who had been one of the critics of the Cayman Turtle Farm, has done an about turn on his position following his visit to the Cayman Islands. The shift in position by Richard Branson came even though he did not visit the facility. Branson, who was in Cayman for the KPMG sponsored Legend’s tennis tournament and Cayman Alternative Investment Summit, he said he spoke to people and learned that by breeding the turtles on land, Cayman has protected the ones in the ocean. It had, he said, created a tourist attraction while satisfying the “few locals” who continue to eat turtles.
“Obviously for many of us around the world we’d prefer that didn’t happen but in my opinion it’s certainly better than taking them from the sea. I’ve met the Chief Minister about the farm and he agrees there are some improvements that need tobe made,” Branson said in his blog following his visit to the Cayman Islands.
“There are still too many kept in one tank at a time and the farm needs to ensure there are regular checks of the water quality and also monitor the health of the turtles. The local experts assured me changes were happening and the farm also releases a lot into the ocean which is building up the numbers in the wild," he added.
Branson is part of an organisation called the Oceanic Elders which champions the conservation of oceans, and his sudden change of heart is unlikely to sit well with them. In addition, his revised opinion was picked up by the British press, who pitched the idea that he and Paul McCartney would soon be at “loggerheads” because the former Beatle had thrown his weight completely behind the World Society for the Protection of Animals campaign to have the farm become a conservation facility.
Whatever the reason for the Virgin boss's about face while here, he had lots of praise for Cayman’s conservation efforts, which he seemed to think were down mostly down to the courage of the country’s “prime minister”.
Speaking to the former owner of the Ritz-Carlton, Michael Ryan, who was responsible for the removal of more than $370,000sq ft of mangroves on land in Safehaven, Branson said that it was great to see the environmental efforts undertaken by the Cayman Islands Government.
With the backdrop of the DoE currently attempting to drum up support for their plans to protect Cayman’s marine environment for the next 25 years, Branson was impressed by the existing protection for conch, lobster and grouper. Branson said a lot of islands in the Caribbean did not have such protections and as a result conch and lobster had almost disappeared.
Branson told Ryan, who has yet to explain what he now intends to do about the promised mangrove replenishment programme on his former proposed Dragon Bay site given his current difficulties, that it had been a pleasure to be in the Cayman Islands and to meet with “your prime minister” as he had listened to the way Cayman was protecting the oceans around the islands.
The Virgin boss informed the standing room only audience that he was impressed that “the prime minister has been brave enough to protect the grouper. There are certain places in the world where enormous quantities of groupers come to breed and they could have been stamped out without creating that marine park.”
Despite throwing his backing behind the Turtle Farm, Branson talked about sharks, none of which are protected in Cayman waters. He said sharks were being decimated as one and a half million are killed each week for their fins so the Chinese can have shark fin soup.
“The Oceanic Elders are going out to campaign to try and get countries to protect sharks and they are trying to get people in China to realise the damage they are doing,” Branson said about the conservation group of which he is a member.
Speaking about manta rays, which are killed for their gills, he said, “It’s absolutely ghastly to see the slaughter of giant manta rays around the world for medicine … Where you do have marine parks created, local fishermen benefit enormously because the breeding that goes on in the marine reserves means the fish spill out. So the local fishermen do benefit from it. Over a few years they gain as well.”
Category: Science and Nature
Who cares what Branson has to say, why are we even asking him questions about the Cayman Islands? Just because he has billions, idiots start drooling over him and the lardi dar people start coming out of the woodwork, all trying to keep up with each other, like keeping up with the Jones. Pathetic lives most live on this Island, all trying to flaunt their money and don't speak or respect a single person who does not have money in their bank accounts!
Maybe Big Mac trying to get Branson to buy Cayman Airways???
The "T" in Turtle stands for Tasty
or thick….
I have a huge amount of respect and admiration for Sir Dick Branson, but when it comes to the turtle farm he is wrong. The turtles are not allowed to reach full maturity before they commence breeding, so in effect what we have had at the turtle farm, and continue to have, is generation after generation of "teenage" pregnancies. Surely this must have a detrimental effect on the turtles as a species, as the innate knowledge which is passed on in their dna coding must surely be getting less and less 'complete'. Ask any real turtle scientist about this, and they will tell you that the turtle farm serves no useful purpose with regard to the protection of the species at all. It's an eyesore, a money pit and a national embarassment (well it wouldbe if Cayman was a nation). Close it down, release all the turtles, and let them take their chances in the ocean, and save Cayman a fortune. Build a water park on the site, with concession stands – it will draw locals and tourists alike, and will probably also turn a profit – imagine that.
Well YAY on him.
Now what about that other British Busy Body, Sir Paul?
On the other hand – who really gives a sh!t what these blowhards think about a place they have never stepped foot into.
Don't be fooled by Dicky B, he's never been the poor boy made good, he made his way through daddy's bank rolliing.
He constantly attempts to play the big time guy and makes ridiculous statements that he rarely abides by, including being one of the first to order the largest Airbus. A deal that never went through because he is only a very small player in the global airline market.
Just ignore him, he'll say whatever he's paid to say, pure and simple.
This is flim-flam man revisited.
Behind all the apparent success and hot air good old Dicky has an abysmal track record of business failures and screw ups.
At least at R-C he was in good company.
Uh Oh.
Somebody gave Mr. Branson some turtle stew.
Now he wont be eating that sheperds pie anymore…
Turtle pie anyone?
the "few locals" who continue to eat turtle? i dont know who they tryin to fool, almost everybody i know loves turtle meat, it's just too damn expensive
Guess you don't know many people then?
bull
I don't like turtle meat. Can we have thumbs down for who likes turtle meat and thumbs up for who don't?
Those are sensible and respectful comments by Branson. Kudos to him! It would have been wrong to come here and insult his hosts.
Mike Ryan never removed a single mangrove tree from Safehaven. That was all cleared by the Matalons many years before he came to Cayman, and remains unchanged since he acquired that property in or around 2007. He obtained permission and cleared the unsightly detritus of destroyed and damaged mangroves that Ivan left at the eastern end of the adjoining Ritz parcel, which is now under new ownership. Why don’t you ask the new owners of the Ritz development what they intend to do about the mangrove restoration? How the hell does this become even remotely relevant to Branson doing an “about face” on the turtle farm?? Or do you want to blame that on Michael Ryan too?
The mangroves have "taken" on the little island at Caymana Bay. Looks like about 7 out of ten made it.
That’s right CNS Richard Branson, despite his well recorded achievements, is obviously a charlatan and a fraudster, simply because he talked to McKeeva and Mike Ryan! Clearly that nullifies all of his beneficence!
BTW: Why don’t you ask the RC Holdings Group that just acquired the Ritz for a song what they intend to do with the “$370,000sqft” of cleared Mangrove Buffer Zoned land? After all, they own it now, along with the often touted $6million debt owed to government on duty waivers. Lets see how altruistic their motives are. But, sorry, I digress – Keep the Pressure on Sir Richard and I’m sure he’ll change his mind, since I’m sure he really cares what you think about him.
Yes, I agree with CNS, Branson is a media artist, to put it politely.
Perhaps Sir Richard could just buy the Turtle Farm and solve our problems and satisfy his urge to protect endangered species. It would beat importing Madagascar lemurs to the British Virgin Islands for sure.
Kathy Stanley of Labrish Jamaica has posted a public appeal to Mr. Branson to reconsider his lemur importation plans, which says it all:
Branson is correct, but the upkeep and sanitation needs to be reviewed. A great oppurtunity to create a solar based filtration system.
Silly person, Solar is for kids.
Whatever credibility Branson brought to the island as an individual, and a supporter of conservation, just disappeared in a “puff of smoke”. Without visiting the Turtle Farm, how can he possibly express any opinion on how it operates – it would be like me, or anybody else, saying Virgin Atlantic was a marvelous airline without any of us having flown on their planes. Suspect that he is a typical ” All fur coat, but no knickers ” commentator on important issues.
Funny you didn't make a similar comment about Paul McCartney who has also never visisted the farm but condemned it. Three cheers for Sir Richard.
But Macca doesnt own an airline …..whilst your uncle Richard does.
Yes, yes, yes, we all know that turtle stew dictates politics in Cayman.
How about an article about his role and views garnered from the international committee he served on, that reviewed the effects of the "war on drugs"?
A good man who isn't caught up in the shallow thought of some tree huggers…..respect!
Yeah, we soon hear he investing in something too and he got 100% duty concessions.
You took the words right out of my mouth. Would not be surprised to see Virgin taking over the BA route (or competition) … Just saying.
CNS – your obvious bias on this issue is sadly way to apparent in this story. I respect your opinions on the issue, but they are just that – opinions. They belong in OPED pieces, not news stories. If you are to continue receive the support of the broad populus, stick to reporting the stories with true journailstic professionalism and don't twist them so blatently that it leads ardent supporters of true free journalism to question your motives.
That's it, now back to professional reporting.
I must say, this is the hight of stupidity. Two well known figures debating a very historic element of cayman based on third-hand information without ever seeing the farm first hand. People need to learn to reserve judgment unless they are aprised of all the facts.
I expected way more from Sir Branson. But maybe it's not surprising coming after all from a billionaire. he obviously read directly from a press release rather than taking the time to fully explore the issue or even visit the facitlity under question. Hint: it's disgusting. Instead, he listened to a spiel from a gov't mouthpiece about "improvements". Fat chance given the opportunity which has already been offered by a reputable organization. Unfortunately his offhand and uneducated comments carry a lot of weight. Thanks for nothing Sir Richard. Back to private jets and big business? If someone was doing to your island and your creatures what Ryan and the turtle farm are doing on Cayman you'd soon have a different opinion. Stay comfortable in your private world. And we'll continue to take care of ours.
I don't agree that his "offhand and uneducated comments carry a lot of weight." Maybe in the past, but what with his Lemur importation and stupid publicity stunts he is now in the Donald Trump Buffoonery and Narcissism category.
Just goes to show there are a lot of ignorant people out there and in more ways than one!
Hmmm, someones been 'got at'….
I've eaten farmed turtle so I can't get on my ecological high horse over that one – and it tasted pretty good. Far better than the taste in Branson's mouth at any rate after a day spent sucking up to some other endangered species.
I am surprised that HE would make any statements without even visiting the "famous" Farm. He was misinformed on many issues surrounding the Farm and "the Premier's" role in conservation efforts.
You got to read better "The Prime Minister" not "Premier" and the courage that "he" has to put suck laws in place!!!!!!! that was the funniest part of the story for me!!!! I wonder is Bush told him that he was the Prime Minister and that is goal he has in mind…but it just slipped out!!!
wow… my opionion of richard branson has now also changed…what a muppet…..
Trying to be nice, nodding and smiling at the various ministers, somewhat clueless of the facts on the ground, won't be back soon.
Pure, unmitigated bullshit.