A legal challenge has temporarily shut down work at Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Mexico project after a local environmental group was granted an injunction.
Municipal leaders in Mahahual, Mexico, say the change of land use granted on behalf of Royal Caribbean’s project is legal and transparent. It follows the legal filing by the local group DMAS, which claims the amendment was made illegally.
Change of land use granted illegally, says environmental group
DMAS claims it requires public consultation first, but council leader Jaime Aguilar Cheluja says this is not mandatory. “This is mandatory only when the municipal planning programs and instruments established are formulated for the first time or are fully updated,” Aguilar Cheluja said.
He said the change of land use request only relates to about 3% of the total project, which doesn’t necessitate a period of public consultation. The change was requested by Royal Caribbean Group.
DMAS’s legal filing led to a suspension of work on the project after a court granted an injunction on January 25. The group claimed in the filing that land use for more than 107 hectares within the Perfect Day cruise tourism project was illegally reconfigured.
Antonella Vázquez, DMAS President, said the organization is not anti-cruise tourism or opposed to development. “However, we are in favor of respecting the law, urban planning, and the community’s right to a healthy environment.”
DMAS and its supporters worry that the development will negatively impact a protected mangrove area and the town’s water supply. “We are not going to touch anything in the mangrove conservation area,” said Royal Caribbean’s director of innovation, Jay Schneider in response.
The cruise company is planning an 80-hectare water park and related amenities near the existing cruise ship pier.
Cheluja said the council is fully behind the project, which is the largest private investment project of its kind ever in southern Quintana Roo.
A court hearing to address the injunction is expected to take place in the next few days.
