MTV & Giant Leatherback Turtles

Roger D. · Post by **Roger D.** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:48 pm

As I am reading this thread, I am shocked. Tobago was named the number one Eco destination in the caribbean and now they(THA) is trying to destroy the very thing that made Tobago number one? Anyway, if this helps - MTV is a subsidiary of Viacom International:
The President - Leslie Moonves
The Chairman of the Board: Sumner Redstone
Address: Viacom
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
(212) 258-6000 - The Main Corporate Number - or
You can call the WCBS Tv New York(another subsidiary of Viacom)
Newsroom directly @ 1-800-242-6397
Email: [email protected]

Roger D.

Douglas R · Post by **Douglas R** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:48 am

The following extract from Viacom's published Business Conduct Statement makes interesting reading.

We expect you to make every effort to prevent environmental incidents and to
respond promptly and effectively to any that do occur despite our best efforts.
Viacom, including its individual employees, directors and officers, may be liable for
the costs of cleaning up pollution, as well as significant civil or criminal penalties
resulting from violations of federal or state environmental regulations.
You should report any concerns you have related to environmental, health or safety
matters to your supervisor or to a Compliance Officer. In particular, you should report
any unpermitted environmental releases, accidents, or unsafe practices you witness
or of which you become aware.

Perhaps someone should provide MTV with a copy of this document.

David Watkins · Post by **David Watkins** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 12:05 pm

Hi everybody,this situation is incredible.I have sent emails to WWF,Greenpeace and Viacom.Whether we can do any good this time is unlikely,but if enough stink is raised a recurrence may be avoided.
David

Roger D. · Post by **Roger D.** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 12:47 pm

The Email Standard address for Viacom is - [email protected]
Leslie Moonves, who is one of the Co-Presidents of Viacom is also know as Les Moonves.

Chris Cross · Post by **Chris Cross** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 8:51 pm

Hello,

just saw this discussion because of the turtles.

We spent 2 Weeks at the rex, and notten happened.
No Music, no Flashlights, notten.

The People of SOS Found. protested against the MTV Thing.

I think this thing is pushed to high... The lights of this
thing they built at the beach are never that light than the
lights which light up the beach at the rex.

They should only start at dawn and stop the filming and noise
when a turtle decides to come outta the water in near.

So the Rex Turtle Hotel did, as a 2,5 ton Turtle begang diggin
100 m. far from the bar.

Ja Mon.

Paul Tallet · Post by **Paul Tallet** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 9:10 pm

Thanks Chris ... that is some comfort.

But when the Turtles have done their business ... is there any protection for the area in which they lay their eggs?

I understand that a number have already been destroyed so perhaps you can give us some indication of the precautions MTV are taking to avoid trampling over the nesting sites?

Regards

N Muir · Post by **N Muir** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 10:42 pm

What can anyone say about this

... forget MTV this is just typical of an american otganisation and not suprising at all, (and they wonder why people bomb their country)... what i cant believe is TIDCO and THA.

it is shameful and disgusting that TIDCO and the THA have allowed this to happen. shame on them, whoever authourised this should be made to resign immediatly.

i think this is a situation that deserves positive action, forget emailing the MTV boards as they wont listen, they're stuck away in some city office in the US county money, GREENBACKS BEFORE LEATHERBACKS.

No... what people should do is find out which hotel the MTV film crew are staying in and hold an all night vigil, protest, etc... and get these A holes to pull down the stage and if they dont, then lets do it ourselves.

in addition the telephone number for TIDCO is (868) 639 2125, lets keep calling them until they listen. be vocal and be active, i am planning to head down there tomorro ( friday) and telk with frankie to see what we can organise

Jean Sampson · Post by **Jean Sampson** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 8:53 am

I received a quick and supportive reply from Ann Hunt of The Marine Conservation Society.www.mcsuk.org
with some contact addresses. She advised getting in touch with http://www.seaturtle.org
Is this the same organization mentioned in earlier threads that have not been responsive?

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 8:57 am

Hi Jean

NO, it is not the same. I've had a quick look at the site you mention, but it tells precious little about them. Mind you, if you have contact information then they could well be worth contacting. I'll try to have a deeper dig later - sorry, but I'm involved in a bit of an emergency job at the moment and time is short.

Lou W · Post by **Lou W** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 8:55 am

Hi,
I got back from staying at the rex on tuesday and i have to say the MTV "gauntlet" stage is a bit of an eye sore. I didn't go down too well with them, and cause a bit of a problem with their filming. If everyone went down and walked infront of their shots or set up on the beach they'll soon finish filming and go. They were trying to do a sweepin shot of the bay in their helicopter but everyone at the rex that was around kept on waving at the camera's so they gave up in the end. The gauntlet is more than a game show thing. We watched them one day trying to carry massive boulders and throwing them on the sand and was also told by the security for it that they had to drag cars around.
Unfortunaly it's not just MTV that have a disregard for the turtles. The JCB diggers were around last year, i stopped one this year going right over a turtles nest. After speaking to people who live there and watch the daily goings on around the place, things need to change on that beach. MTV will be gone soon but other problems will still be there...

Lou

Dianne O. · Post by **Dianne O.** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 10:21 pm

N. Muir--With all due respect, I am shocked about your comment about the USA being bombed in reference to September 11, not to mention your comments about capitalism in the USA. Although I respect everyone's right to their opinion, your comments were thoughtless and not well informed. Many innocent and hard working people lost their lives on September 11. Many families will never recover from the tragedy, especially the children who lost their parents. Many other countries have been the target of terroism...need I remind you of Spain? I would also like to add that not everyone in the US is more motivated by the $$$ than by character and ethics. Me, for example. MTV could very well be an organization in any country---the real issue is protecting the turtles, not verbally attacking a country in generalist terms.

David Watkins · Post by **David Watkins** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 11:59 am

Well said Dianne O,it was a very stupid comment to have been made by anyone let alone a Brit!!!!
David

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 12:04 pm

Hi David

Sorry to correct you, old sport, but I think you'll find that N Muir is from Tobago - not a Brit. To be honest, had he been from anywhere else I would have admonished him for that comment. As it was, it left me in a slightly difficult position.

David Watkins · Post by **David Watkins** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 12:13 pm

Hi Steve.ops

Alan Cb · Post by **Alan Cb** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 4:27 am

Steve

I find it difficult to understand why N Muir's being Tobagonian should excuse him from being admonished for making such disgusting, offensive anti-American comments, which I think, in addition to being very hurtful and disrespectful to your American guests, can only reflect very poorly on the image of Tobagonians.

I am confident that you would have had the support of the vast majority of Tobagonians.

Lou W · Post by **Lou W** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 8:17 am

I know N Muir's comments are bad but is this not getting off the subject abit about the Turtles, which forgive me for being stupid but i thought that this part of the forum was about????

Dianne O. · Post by **Dianne O.** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 1:25 pm

Lou W.--I completely agree with you in terms of staying on topic, and I think that we should return to discussing the issue of protecting the leatherback turtles. I did not intend to get us off topic, however, I could not read N. Muir's offensive remarks and not reply. I am visiting Tobago for the first time in December, and I certainly hope that I am not met with that type of anti-American sentiment.

Thank you for your support, Alan, David, and Steve.

Roger D. · Post by **Roger D.** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 2:52 pm

Hi Dianne;
I'm a national of Trinidad & Tobago living in the US. Those horrible comments were indeed sad and are not worth discussing. I lived just north of NYC in Yonkers when the events of September the 11th occured and I know people personaly that were affected, as we all were. Having said that, I can assure you that the views reflected in that post are not shared by the vast majority of Trindad & Tobago, you will be more than welcomed and given "that special caribbean warmth" I'm sure that Steve W. would agree.
Have a wonderful time - Watch out for the Rum Punch - I think Paul Tallet has had the odd experience with them

Roger.

Paul Tallet · Post by **Paul Tallet** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 4:59 pm

Hic ...

Yes Roger ... had a few.

But let us be fair to N Muir ...

I agree he should not say such things in the way he did. He was certainly equally critical of the Tobago authorities too.

But I sensed that he is just as anxious about the situation on Turtle Beach as we are and unfortunately he reacted in the way he did.

I hope that all the reaction to his comments does not discourage him from giving us an update on any progress he has made with his actions.

We (and the Turtles) need N Muir on our side ... yes, he said a bad thing ... but could we now forgive him and move forward?

Regards

Anna M · Post by **Anna M** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 11:36 pm

I have been emailing various organisations (PETA, WSPA, IFAW, IAR, CARE FOR THE WILD.) The best response i got was from http://www.seaturtles.org. A guy there called Robert Ovetz said he could set up an action alert about the situation on turtle beach .I have emailed his response to Peter Cox.Robert does a good website worth checking out http://www.savetheleatherback.com

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