Note: Our Meeting started later than scheduled, due to delayed arrival of visitors. The positive side about it was that much networking was done and old contacts re-established.

Members may access the visitor’s list.

It has a membership base of over ten thousand and produces national magazines as well as regional newsletters. It is one of few organizations prepared to take government or business to court on environmental principles despite the prohibitively high costs of such actions. Despite this it welcomes co-operative partnerships with business and government on environmental and poverty alleviation projects.

Sustainable Development
One of the largest global environmental problems is one of definition – that of “sustainable development.” Since the phrase was coined at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 it has been routinely manipulated by many to mean sustaining development and the generation of vast profits, often in an unsustainable way that damages both the natural and socail environment. Some of the chief facets of “unsustainability” to be avoided by enterprises wanting to do the right thing are:

Quick review of poster

This was produced to help poor, mostly illiterate people on the coast, get to grips with the notion of tourism. It points out some of the positive and negative aspects or tourism and introduces ideas for products and services that could generate a modest income.

Conclusion
Apologies if this came across as something of a wet blanket; it wasn’t meant to, but it is easier to integrate such sustainability concepts nearer the beginning of an enterprise than after it has gained great momentum. WESSA is currently involved in a joint project with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) that, amongst other things, will be encouraging fledgling tourism initiatives in poor communities mostly on the West Coast. It would be great if the Alternative Tourism Forum could help in promoting, testing and evaluating of such efforts and possibly be roped into some of the training. I look forward to a mutually rewarding relationship with the Forum. Thank you.

On the 13th October 2004 the Chief of the South African Air Force, Lt Gen Roelf Beukes officially opened the 1923 Spitz A1 planetarium at the SAAF Museum, Air Force Base Ysterplaat. This particular instrument has an out of the ordinary heritage. It was one of 40 constructed and only one of three remaining in the world. It is also the only one still operational. It was used during the Second World War by the Royal Navy at Gordon’s Bay where navigators were trained in what is known as astral navigation. After the war it was transferred to 80 Air Navigation School at CFS Langebaanweg, where it was utilised in the training of pilots and navigators. When 80 ANS relocated to Cape Town International Airport during the early 1970’s, the planetarium was also relocated and was housed in a specially constructed building. When the decision was taken to move 35 Squadron and 80 ANS back to Air Force Base Ysterplaat the planetarium was brought to the SA Air Force Museum and after some two years of hard work was reassembled and restored back to pristine condition. Although the GPS has replaced the need for astral navigation, it will still be utilised by 80 ANS who present survival-training courses for aircrews.