26: Developers…or Crooks?

CHAPTER 26: Developers…or Crooks?

QUOTE: “The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

LESSON: The Struggle Between Idealism and Reality

SYNOPSIS: Back on Roatán with my newborn, I juggled running the hotel, diving with students, and raising Olivier, but the island’s rapid development soon overshadowed my daily routine. As foreign investors arrived to develop hotels, I launched a fight to protect the environment, seeking support from local activists. Despite my efforts, I could only save a single almond tree. The lush paradise I loved was replaced by condos, swimming pools, and tourist bars. The betrayal of the land by locals and expats alike shattered my belief that the island’s beauty could be preserved and left me disillusioned.