Incase you havent heard, our precious and only World heritage site ( alongside the pyramids and hanging gardens of babylon ) is up for bidding, now that it has become known that this quaint preserved area called Lamu
is sheer paradise. I kid you not.. Lamu's up for bidding.
Now while the law of globo-economics dictates that we have nothing to argue about here, i think the problem is more sultry than it appears. What has made lamu so beautiful really is the preservation of its culture and its people.
The millions that will come in, I'm afraid, will displace these two things. What is soveriegnty when all real estate owners of an area are NOT from that area? What does this say to the natives of the area? Shouldnt they get preference 'native' equity in the land of thier birth? What does belonging mean if all that really matters is the dollar?
Suddenly the protectionism exhibited by states in the UAE begins to seem less uber conservative and more plain culture preserving.(foreigners are not allowed to won more than 49 % of any property or business there if I am not mistaken).
Dont confuse me for an ahmish, anti-capitalist tree hugger. Just a little concerned that the bill gates, Naoimi campbells and nameless italians will buy out our picturesque little town.
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