eco-tourism my foot

Another first for the Sultanate of Oman.

The first ever of it's kind a fully developed project that would include a large mall - The Mall of Oman - that would stand over over 50,000 sq. metres of space, plus seven blocks of residential flats that stand over an additional 40,000 sq. meter in conjunction with another additional 40,000 sq. meters of office space.

That brings it all down to over 130,000 sq. metres.

This is supposed to be a project that would bring in investments that would help turn the economic wheels of the country. But apparently, neither the Ministry of Tourism - who kicked off the project - nor the investors have any idea what kind of consequence this project may bring in with it.

This project will be located alongside the new speedy highway system that is in development from Qurum to Al Naseem Park.

Now, instead of developing a household project that would help thousands of Omanis who have gotten married and are looking for a suitable place to live in that would suit their budget, they establish this project that not just helps out with more income to the country but also brings in a lot of disadvantages with it in the long term; less greenery (Oman will eventually turn into another Dubai sooner than we know because of the development of this project that is just one of the projects to be established in the Muscat region), more usage of water, electricity and other raw materials such as cement and wood - this would mean that prices would rise higher than they are now for the raw materials and the water & electricity we value so much in our everyday lives will eventually run out sooner than we ever expected when the government conducts a forum to teach the best way to use such resources (a bit contradictary that, eh?).

Even though I don't like the way my country is working in some ways economically and socially, I still despise the idea of having to turn it into another metropolitan city that will no doubdtly have no personality if it keeps going on in this phase.

So what am I asking for then, here?

I am not asking for a halt of such development projects. I am demanding - as it is written in the freedom of speech rights law - that such a development of projects would also require more attention to the surrounding environment and better usage of scarce resources.

Is that too much too ask?

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Link:

- MECSC: Newsletter