I welcome Letters to the Editor, even the ones I don’t agree with. Only in rare instances will I comment on them.

Today is an exception as both letters are very important.

The first one concerns the story that iNews Cayman, the first of Cayman’s news media outlets to break the news, published concerning the attack on the Cayman Turtle Farm (CTF) by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). We reported the CTF reply to the serious allegations made by the WSPA. Yesterday (15) I wrote an Editorial on the matter giving my reasons why I will not support their allegations.

I gave reasons based on the evidence at my disposal and asked for their evidence. You will find photographs taken from their document “the Cayman Turtle Farm: A Case for Change”.

The photographs are disturbing. But the evidence doesn’t state the percentage of the disturbing cases to the normal. How many of the turtles out of say 100 were infected, had lost flippers, born with defects, etc.?

The CTF in their statement said they “found no evidence of the kinds of injuries or defects among the turtles reared at our facility that the WSPA is listing in its assertions against us.” The CTF also say the WSPA are trying to shut them down whilst the they WSPA state in their letter, “To be clear, WSPA is not calling for the CTF to “shut down” all of its operations. We feel that it can continue to operate as a rehabilitation release, research and education facility.” However, it then adds, “However, it must immediately halt the inhumane public handling of turtles. It must also agree to start make formal steps to transition away from the commercial production of sea turtles for human consumption.”

Without knowing all the details I said in my Editorial maybe the reason for the WSPA not waiting for the Cayman Islands Cabinet to debate the issue of altering the business model was because they might be tired of waiting, especially with our government’s present reputation.

The WSPA state they contacted CTF in May 2012 to express their concerns.  They met with relevant CTF stakeholders in July 2012 to explore ways to collaborate; agreed a two month consideration period when it was made clear that the issue needed to be considered by senior politicians and subsequently provided a five week extension which the CTF failed to meet the agreed deadline (7th September).

So now the Government have a huge mess on their hands. Before a blow is struck, before any “evidence” is provided, the public will be already taking sides. I have a gut feeling that whatever happens, if anything does happen, the attraction of visiting the Turtle Farm by tourists is not going to be so attractive. Visitors will be looking for the bad “evidence” and taking pictures of it. If one looks hard enough you can find any evidence.

And some of this could have been avoided.

The second letter is an excellent one from Guy Harvey. He laments the need for the management and owners of Dolphin Discovery to mislead the public.

Actually one didn’t need the expertise of one of the “foremost marine scientists in the Cayman Islands on the biology, ecology, natural history and socio-economic value of the southern stingrays” to inform us the advertisements Dolphin Discovery had placed in the Caymanian Compass and Sunday Observer were “misleading”.

Even I could see that as, I expect, the majority of the readers. All the media houses on the Cayman Islands have reported the reluctance of Dolphin Discovery to “work closely with the Department of the Environment”. They released “the happy and healthy stingrays” because they were tagged! They were stolen and they could have faced a very hefty fine if they hadn’t. The remaining six untagged ones were not released and they will not release them. How’s that for working “closely with the Department of the Environment!

Congratulations Mr. Harvey on your letter. I applaud you and this is one issue I 100% support without any reservations. Stingrays do not belong in a tank.

And as for the “very loud silence from the senior members of government” I’m afraid they will never look behind the picture. They will never see the need for the environment and wild life to work together. Once the developer has made his huge bucks from selling his land and his project he moves on. He doesn’t care.  And the politicians? That’s why they are politicians. The only time they really care is if it costs them votes.

And that’s not just here. If you care a toss you get removed.

Sad isn’t it? I pray I am proved wrong.

Please keep writing your letters. I love them. All.