A Very Long Time (And A Letter Regarding A Casino)

"A long time" certainly is a relative viewpoint. Keeping that in mind, I think it's has been a long time since my good intentions have mated with my good actions. What I've decided to do here to get this thing back in motion is post a letter I've written to the Executive Secretary of the Region V Regional Government of Chile regarding the proposed development of a portion of Easter Island (Rapa Nui to the natives), namely for a casino.

Mr. Rene Lues, Secretario Ejecutivo
Gobierno Regional V Region; Intendencia
Valparaiso, Chile

Dear Mr. Lues,

I am writing to you today to offer my thoughts, representative of the international community, regarding the construction of a gambling casino on Rapa Nui (Isla de Pasqua).
My wife and I had the unique and memorable experience of spending our honeymoon, in December 2004, on Rapa Nui. We were awed by the fragile natural beauty of the island, the generous spirit of the people and the simple lives that they lead. What a pleasure it was for us to visit such a place! A place that was singular in its culture, essentially unmarked by the trappings of the modern tourism industry. I know that I am not alone in my fears that additional development, particularly of the casino nature, would be damaging – perhaps fatally so– to this fragile and unmarked place.
Chile is fortunate to be the caretaker of the rich history of culture and place that is Rapa Nui, but with that fortune there is a responsibility. Rapa Nui is not the sort of place one can find anything like anywhere else, and once it is damaged or destroyed, it is gone. I join the Rapa Nui Comision de Desarollo in respectfully imploring you to remember that history and the potential consequences of future development when making any decision that might affect the future of this beautiful island, one that is revered and beloved as much by the rest of the World as it is by Chile.

Respectfully,
Mr. Kevin Dale Woosley