A plea...

This was written upon following recent events that unfolded in our midst which made one wonder if we adequately managed our natural assets at our national parks and protected areas… many lovers of nature and concerned persons presented varied views in the print and e- media. On the global front we also observe the intensified frequency of natural disasters occurring all around us on planet earth.

Flood waters inundating cities, raging forest-fires, earthquakes, landslides, typhoons, tsunamis, rising sea-levels, outbreaks of pandemics, harsh winters and droughts are no longer considered as ‘normal’ phenomenon occurring as humankind knew them in the past. This is ‘cause and effect’ indeed and the current plight of some ‘developed’ economies that have lived beyond their means is testimony to the fact that imprudent management of our ways of life can lead us to disastrous consequences. Having carefully ‘listened’ to what climate scientists and environmentalists have to say of these and having observed for oneself what happens around us for decades, one begins to wonder if we should not be focusing more wisely on not overshooting the carrying capacities of our ecosystems while realising that there indeed are limits to growth

It is sad that we (meaning the officialdom, media, even conservationists) only react when things go wrong...when a tusker goes wild, when a leopard cub is run down, when elephants attack villages, when there are too many jeeps chasing one herd of elephants, a couple of bears or a leopard when sited. That’s when all mobile telephones ring at once to attract all others within the park to flock to see what one had sited.

We seldom worry about the loners standing by the electric fences along the road to the Uda Walawe Park to be fed to their detriment or the day to day travails faced by the beasts for we intrude on their terrain.

The pressure on the beasts increase and the guides who are on a measly training guides’ allowance seek the tips and whatever they can make by trying to please the visitors. Some visitors are not at all amused or impressed for they love the wild... and may have a negative response. But sadly that is the minority.

Money over lost resources  

The real answers are embedded in enabling sound park management. We must not forget we had the likes of Prof. Kotagama as our Wild Life chief and we need to examine and understand what his frustrations were.

The ability for tourism policy makers and operators to resist short term gain is a key consideration here. Those who marvelled at the Minnariya gathering and made it popular should today be kicking themselves.

We need to think of the consequences of promotion and marketing on the resource before we shoot our selves off. The dictum should be ‘money now is not worth the loss of the resource forever,’ like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

But then that is why there are policy frameworks, strategic park management plans, upholding the rule of law etc.

Where we fail is in implementation for we resort to either ‘hard selling’ or ‘getting sold’ ourselves. Too many compromises are made.

The sad plight of the elephants that carry tourists and those that are used to toil with hard labour often go unnoticed. We must not also play petty politics with these issues but work together as concerned Sri Lankans to ensure conservation of the uniqueness we still posses. It may not last long, if we let our greed take over. Conservation is indeed development and that needs to get heard loud and clear.

No easy task

When someone asked me what I am most happy about what I did in my three terms in tourism I said “it is what I did not let happen.” And that is true and believe me it was tough to do that. It would have been easier to say yes and compromise. Once when I asked a senior tourism official why he went on to make unwarranted compromises, he told me “I have child to be educated. I can not afford to loose my job.” I rested pushing my case with him then.

I yearn to see the day when policy makers do not get involved in strategy, implementation and operations, when that is left in the hands of trained and competent officials, when patronage is not offered to cronies outside of the system of meritocracy, when correct and firm action is hailed and corruption and mismanagement (which also amounts to corruption) is deplored.

I would like to see the day when those consultants who prepare EIAs are able to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. When officials stand up to political pressure and take pride in their professional work ethic. When architects are able to tell their clients that minimalism is the way to go and do not think only of the per cent of the fee, which usually amounts to the scenario ‘bigger the project - higher the fee.’ I bow to those who already hold their turf, no matter what... for it is with you our future hope rests.

Roping in the professionals

We perhaps must also venture to have conservation education and learning embedded in all management courses i.e. for accountants, MBAs, marketers, advertising professionals, media studies etc. if we are to change the culture.

A Facebook friend added that universities also should include conservation education in all its courses not limiting it to those who are in the bio-science streams; i.e. conservation as cited in literature, conservation economics, conservation concepts seen in history, conservation through physics, chemistry, math for conservation etc. If we only let the trained band of conservationists talk this language, we may fall short of saving our natural and cultural heritage.

I know it is easier said than done. I also know it is idealistic. It is bigger than any of us or our individual spheres of influence, for it is a culture that must change and that culture extends far beyond our shores to other spheres of influence we are so intensely exposed to from the dominant cultures.

But tell me please... is there any other way for us left, but seek that change?

(Renton de Alwis is a former Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism serving two terms during 2000-2002 and again from 2007-2008 and another in the early 1980’s as an official. He served as Head of the Asia Division of the Pacific Asia Travel Association(PATA) based in Singapore from 1990-96 and as CEO of the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore from 1997-99. He also served as a Chief Technical Advisor and consultant with the ADB, UNDP, UNWTO, ESCAP, UNICEF and the ILO. He can be contacted at [email protected])