Residents want priority
Tuesday 25th August 2009
Tensions are running high in property development circles on the tropical island of Maui, Hawaii - as citizens claim that the construction of holiday residences has taken priority over affordable housing for residents.
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| Trouble in Paradise |
With a call to action aimed at the island's authorities, the disgruntled locals have managed to make their feelings known in the proposed residential general plan for the county of West Maui, which now takes into account the residents' wishes to discourage resort development in the area.
However, Ed Thompson of ARDA (the American Resort Development Association) has spoken out in defence of the local Timeshare industry, arguing that it is a valuable contributor to Maui's local economy. He has requested the removal of a statement in the general plan which reads ‘discourage Timeshares and fractional ownership'.
Another industry boss, Ann Baran of the Maui Schooner Resort, has echoed Mr Thompson's sentiments with her own request for the negative statements towards the Timeshare industry to be retracted.
