The Opanake debacle – well it’s just that a local says they underestimated the conditions – but guess what – they are supposed to be oceanographers and had long term monitoring going on for the site. Is that an admission of something? An inability to be accurate with background “homework”? So nothing more than we already know – look forward to a costly lengthy time with a lot of pain and then at the end of it just more of the same as the “conditions” will not ever really be “perfect” when you want them to be.

India – well its a matter of ethics and morals – ambulance chasing and opportunitism for profiting from others suffering. Again everybody in the world was and is giving – even bournemouth people volunteer in the congo – how would you feel if a company were “profiting” from their suffering over their right now.

Not much difference in my book to another inconsiderate and selfish multinational.

But there’s plenty of investigations going on about an ASR staff member, a government employee and another ex ASR guy who has had to flee to the Middle East. Maybe nothing amiss but don’t take your csurfboard to India, when 5000 get arrested -a crod may not look kindly upon surfers and mistake them for ASR staff wanting to build expensive reefs intead of researching sustainable ways of life for them.

But usually as we know where there’s smoke there’s likely to have been a spark and if it gets propogated and someone gains from it there’s perhaps some “inappropiate encouragement” of some sort even if its soft words of encouragement to a “seduced” official.

Yes you are correct in your rebuttal – but that doesn’t mean it’s coming up smelling of roses – it stinks as bad as a tsumami ravaged coastline would when the wrong solution is enraging the communities to the point that the Vatican steps in and encourages demonstations.

Watch that space and whatever you do give surfing travel warnings for India – its a no go zone unless you want to be the focus of an enraged crowd that are hungry, jobless, lost relatives, roofless and just feeling disengaged with the global surfing lifestyle solution that ASR are going to extraordinary lengths to provide them. I dont know if ASR have any idea how “out of touch” with reality they are?

In fact very few UK buildings are ever seemingly built to cost. I can’t comment on NZ, but over runs of 2 to 3 times original estimate isn’t unusual over here.

So the fact that it ran over budget and over time and hasn’t been finished yet due to alleged lack of funding following increased costs doesn’t show anything other than the costs spiralled and the reef trust allegedly couldn’t afford the increased costs, does it?

All I can see is that maybe companies are quoting too low on the costings for these projects, I’ve yet to see any sign of deliberate deception which is what you appear to allege.

So far as your allegations on India go, how exactly did ASR divert funds which presumably would have been in the hands of the government? It is possible ASR suggested building reefs in India for shoreline protection but surely the funding decisions in regard to those were made by the government not ASR.

I see a lot of allegations but no hard evidence.

I’m neither pro nor anti ASR, but do believe they should be given a fair opportunity to deliver what they promised.

I am concerned though by a suggestion of a delay in finishing the reef, but more because of the implications it may have for the reef following the alleged sinking at Mt Mangaui and the difficulty there might be in getting them back to finish the job due to other committments, more than because of any alleged impropriety.

10% of Opanake was finished for the total of $1m dollars.

You should also check out the entire tsunami fund diversion where 5000 were ARRESTED for protesting and some dig digging finds three names that are associated with asr deeply involved in convincing authorities to consider building reefs some time ago -all instigated by ASR.

Tsumami fund diversion well can you imagine the lobbying when a “soft money fund” happens.

It’s not like we will donate money for simple “reefballs” that worked in the carribean for hurricanne protection- or we will be there with the locals as low skilled labor is needed to build them at almost low cost , or our divers will donate time to train local divers to install them . The rest of the world chipped in with time and effort rebuilding hospitals schools and house -helping regenerate the environment. No with the speed of a LA lawyer they were there on the scene “giving assistance” with an open order book.

Two people have left india over the “affair” both associated with ASR.
There needs the be an international travel warning for surfers – if you wish to go to india go with your sleeves rolled up to help. Leave your surfboard behind lest you be mistaken for a “man from ASR” and the fishermen tear you to pieces and feed you to the sharks.

5000 “arrested” I dare kerry black to tel them face to face knee high to overhead – just go hungry.

Union carbide, bopal, ASR all seem comfortably said in the one sentance now. All there for expoitative purposes that give western ethics a bad name.

I wonder why the two one an ex-ASR employee and the other a government employee had to leave India in a BIG HURRY.

remember avoid India with a surfboard – gloves, workshirts and a good dose of western humanity will be treated like family – humble but so welcome for any human being to share all they have.

You can’t call Mt. Manganui a failure when it was never finished allegedly due to funding issues.

Coming and seeing a partially filled collection of bags allegedly failing to deliver world class waves is going to prove what exactly Roy? Its PART filled.

You’re well known for being anti ASR, you posted on your site recently a post alledging they’d stolen money destined for Tsunami victims for the purpose of building a reef.

Quote (Cut and pasted from your site): “Here are some recent articles regarding the diversion of tsunami relief funds by reef building company ASR for the building of an ‘artificial surfing reef’”

http://olosurfer-woodensurfboardsatpipeline.blogspot.com/2008/10/another-artificial-reef-scam-in-india.html

Can you actually prove it was ASR that allegedly diverted the funds and not eg the government?

Sounds like a serious allegation to make to me.

Mt. Manganui also allegedly sank into the sand because it was left so long partially filled waiting to be finished due to allegedly bad weather and funding issues (note of caution to Bournemouth on the waiting bit here).

All the previous reefs before the Mt. were of a different design – only the Mt. Reef has been of the same design as Bournemouth to my knowledge, so we ought to give it a chance.

If it then proves a failure, fair enough. You will have been right on it failing to deliver, but to scrap the project based on a reef that was never finished would be ridiculous when that previous reef was the only one of this type. Its like saying a house doesn’t function properly becuase it lets the water in , when the builders never finished it and put the roof on!

But credit where credit is due and 20% is worthy of an encouragement award for trying.

After 10 years of waiting what’s another year or two to get the final result to evaluate.

Especially if the delay is because they want to “do it right”.

I think everyone agrees if it takes another five years to make sure it is “built to specifications” as they contracted to do then that is what has to happen.

So take whatever time you need to complete it properly ASR, everybody will understand the need for it to be done the best that it can.

I’m happy to wait another ten years if that’s what it takes and many others in Bournemouth will agree -best done properly of not at all!

The divers are reporting that they have another job to start – must not be an artificial reef as we surely would have heard about it?

Why didn’t you people speak to any of the locals at the Mount when you came to New Zealand instead of just visiting tourist spots and being wined and dined by ASR ? Wouldn’t they let you off the leash ?. . . . or were you too busy enjoying the perks of the job to bother with collecting information about the reefs ?