Daniel made the statement on the sidelines of the round table meeting of mayors and district heads from six countries of Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) in Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi, on Tuesday.
"Destroying corral reefs is similar to creating humanitarian disaster on the face of the earth, because coastal areas resources for local people`s prosperity will disappear along with the destruction of coral reefs," Daniel said.
According to him, corral reefs contain various natural resources potentials for the prosperity of coastal dwellers.
Therefore he said that as the policy makers at the local level, the mayors and district heads should be committed to preserving the coastal region with the corral reefs from destruction so as to provide a sustainable welfare for the local society.
"With self-governing system as it is today, the responsibility of preserving the environment, including coastal areas, is in the hands of mayors and district heads as the holder of the authority or policies at the local level," Daniel said.
Accordingly, he added that every district head and mayor had to be responsible for saving the environment, especially the coastal areas from the threat of destruction.
"Whoever does activities that impact on environmental and corral reefs degradation, especially at coastal areas, the mayor and district head should have courage to the firmest possible action against him or her in an effort to maintain natural preservation," Daniel said.
Similar statement was also made by Wakatobi district head Hugua, who hosted the round table meeting of mayors and district heads from six countries of Coral Triangle Initiative.
Hugua said the mayors and district heads at present should no longer think of dredging the natural resources to serve their own interest, but instead think how rendering something to nature to maintain natural preservation and environmental balance. (*)
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Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
