Mayors support gov’t plan for Bodrum region
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Doğan News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Temmuz 02, 2009 00:00
BODRUM - Despite the protests from environmentalists and nongovernmental organizations, the mayors of Bodrum’s Yalıkavak, Göltürkbükü and Gündoğan, all members of opposition parties, throw their support behind a government plan that declares the area a ’tourism center’.
A recent government plan to declare Bodrum’s Yalıkavak, Göltürkbükü and Gündoğan districts, "tourism centers," has been severely criticized by environmentalists and local politicians, but has received surprise support from the districts’ mayors.
On May 11, the government declared the region on the Bodrum peninsula that includes Yalıkavak, Gündoğan and Göltürkbükü districts an official tourism center. According to the law, the Culture and Tourism Ministry may take over the authority to prepare new building plans in the area.
The decision caused a stir among locals, who fear the shores will be allocated to tourism facilities. One of the firm opponents of the plan was Mehmet Kocadon, Bodrum mayor and a member of the Democrat Party, or DP.
However, the mayors of Yalıkavak, Gündoğan and Göltürkbükü declared support for the plan.
"Any plan is better than no plan," said Yalıkavak Mayor Mustafa Saruhan, a member of the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, after a meeting Wednesday in Göltürkbükü that brought together the three mayors. "The plans should clarify the jurisdiction complexity and should help the region develop, but it must preserve the history and nature. I just wish the ministry had consulted us before they launched the plan."
Saruhan said plans prepared for development are frequently changed or canceled and that creates confusion among locals and tourism investors. "The new plans should be immediately put into practice, as having no plan is to the detriment of everybody, especially the state."
Göltürkbükü Mayor Halil İbrahim Kaynar of the Motherland Party, or ANAVATAN, agreed with Saruhan.
Share in tourism dropping
Kaynar said that Bodrum’s share in Turkish tourism has declined dramatically due to poor planning. "We spent the last 20 years with fights over plans," he said. "This way, both the country’s tourism and Bodrum lost. I support the ministry for the new plan, and I thank them."
Kaynar knows tourism problems first hand, as he is himself an investor in tourism and owns three tourism facilities. "No one should forget that losing time means losing money from tourism," Kaynar said. "That is why the plan should be implemented immediately."
Gündoğan Mayor İbrahim Bilgi, a member of the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, criticized the nongovernmental organizations in Bodrum for protesting the plan. "We are for the ministry’s plan, which we believe will help the development of our districts," he said. "But we will share some reservations on the plan with the Culture and Tourism Ministry. Bodrum spent the last 20 years for nothing; not having a plan severely damaged the peninsula. The government decision raised hope among the residents that something solid will finally be done after years of empty talks and promises."
Despite their support, the mayors underlined that the ministry must lead investments in the infrastructure of the region. "At the time being, there are four tourism facilities in Yalıkavak that are about to be completed," Saruhan said.
"While we are trying to overcome the infrastructure problems of current facilities, how can we tackle the problems of road, water, power and sewerage that we will face with new tourism investments? We are not against investments, but we oppose random investments that are done without foreseeing 10 years from now," said the Yalıkavak mayor.
Göltürkbükü Mayor Kaynar warned the ministry to learn from the mistakes of the past. "We want the ministry to support us in infrastructure works," he said. "With the right investment and good projects, we will be the winners. Our share in Turkey’s tourism can go up from 20 percent to 80 percent."
Minister gets advantage
The declaration of support from the mayors will strengthen the position of Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay, who earlier said the tourism center in northern Bodrum is "just a declaration."
"No buildings destroying the shores or damaging historical remains will be allowed during my term, or after me," Günay said on June 5, Environment Day.
The minister also said that thorough planning is needed for the proper use of the land. "Some think that there will be buildings on these areas. I’m completely against creating concrete jungles. I don’t like to see concrete buildings when watching the land from the sea."
A similar Cabinet decision was made in 2006 that declared the entire Bodrum peninsula a tourism center, but the decision was annulled by the Council of State two years later after a complaint from Bodrum Municipality, environmentalists and nongovernmental organizations.
On May 11, the government declared the region on the Bodrum peninsula that includes Yalıkavak, Gündoğan and Göltürkbükü districts an official tourism center. According to the law, the Culture and Tourism Ministry may take over the authority to prepare new building plans in the area.
The decision caused a stir among locals, who fear the shores will be allocated to tourism facilities. One of the firm opponents of the plan was Mehmet Kocadon, Bodrum mayor and a member of the Democrat Party, or DP.
However, the mayors of Yalıkavak, Gündoğan and Göltürkbükü declared support for the plan.
"Any plan is better than no plan," said Yalıkavak Mayor Mustafa Saruhan, a member of the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, after a meeting Wednesday in Göltürkbükü that brought together the three mayors. "The plans should clarify the jurisdiction complexity and should help the region develop, but it must preserve the history and nature. I just wish the ministry had consulted us before they launched the plan."
Saruhan said plans prepared for development are frequently changed or canceled and that creates confusion among locals and tourism investors. "The new plans should be immediately put into practice, as having no plan is to the detriment of everybody, especially the state."
Göltürkbükü Mayor Halil İbrahim Kaynar of the Motherland Party, or ANAVATAN, agreed with Saruhan.
Share in tourism dropping
Kaynar said that Bodrum’s share in Turkish tourism has declined dramatically due to poor planning. "We spent the last 20 years with fights over plans," he said. "This way, both the country’s tourism and Bodrum lost. I support the ministry for the new plan, and I thank them."
Kaynar knows tourism problems first hand, as he is himself an investor in tourism and owns three tourism facilities. "No one should forget that losing time means losing money from tourism," Kaynar said. "That is why the plan should be implemented immediately."
Gündoğan Mayor İbrahim Bilgi, a member of the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, criticized the nongovernmental organizations in Bodrum for protesting the plan. "We are for the ministry’s plan, which we believe will help the development of our districts," he said. "But we will share some reservations on the plan with the Culture and Tourism Ministry. Bodrum spent the last 20 years for nothing; not having a plan severely damaged the peninsula. The government decision raised hope among the residents that something solid will finally be done after years of empty talks and promises."
Despite their support, the mayors underlined that the ministry must lead investments in the infrastructure of the region. "At the time being, there are four tourism facilities in Yalıkavak that are about to be completed," Saruhan said.
"While we are trying to overcome the infrastructure problems of current facilities, how can we tackle the problems of road, water, power and sewerage that we will face with new tourism investments? We are not against investments, but we oppose random investments that are done without foreseeing 10 years from now," said the Yalıkavak mayor.
Göltürkbükü Mayor Kaynar warned the ministry to learn from the mistakes of the past. "We want the ministry to support us in infrastructure works," he said. "With the right investment and good projects, we will be the winners. Our share in Turkey’s tourism can go up from 20 percent to 80 percent."
Minister gets advantage
The declaration of support from the mayors will strengthen the position of Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay, who earlier said the tourism center in northern Bodrum is "just a declaration."
"No buildings destroying the shores or damaging historical remains will be allowed during my term, or after me," Günay said on June 5, Environment Day.
The minister also said that thorough planning is needed for the proper use of the land. "Some think that there will be buildings on these areas. I’m completely against creating concrete jungles. I don’t like to see concrete buildings when watching the land from the sea."
A similar Cabinet decision was made in 2006 that declared the entire Bodrum peninsula a tourism center, but the decision was annulled by the Council of State two years later after a complaint from Bodrum Municipality, environmentalists and nongovernmental organizations.