MORE MUST READ FROM CAPT BILLY HERE...
"(Regarding the current nonsense), In a way it’s a good sign. If it was just business as usual then DBM continues to suffer from the lack of contractual obligations. Unless something is getting close like contracts being renewed. (This hogwash) makes sense not so much from competition but the academic community who believe only universities should be allowed to study and excavate these sites. And very short sighted they are. Almost on a daily basis I get visited by the local fishermen with artifacts they recovered from sites around this island. Yesterday I had three fishermen sitting right here in my house with pottery and bronze spikes they recently recovered. The academic community couldn't care less about this serious epidemic that happens on a daily basis. All they care about is getting their names in the spotlight as the ones who saved these sites from the “Treasure Hunters”
Problem is they cannot police the entire island. This country has not the resources to police anything. Three cops on a moped prove my point. The Navy ships never leave port unless they are called out. No patrols. Just a week ago I had an appointment with one of the Cultural heads. He was asked to put together some plan to submit to be able to police these sites. To stop the looting. When they did he was met with no way could we afford that. They spend less on their Navy than what it would take to properly police the coast from looters. In my opinion it is impossible. These local fishermen in most cases don’t even use boats they enter the water from shorelines and spend the whole day swimming the coast searching for fish to spear. And in a very poor country like this that even a piece of lead or copper could fetch enough pesos to feed their families for the day. No law in the world would stop them from taking a piece of a historical shipwreck if it could help putting food on the table.
The government is well aware of this. That is why they do have outside entities like ours to save these sites from further looting. And with the last permits handed out this government for the first time required archaeologists. So this is what they get: A company footing the bill for the very expensive excavation of these sites. A world class archeology report like Alejandro compiles, followed by these sites and areas being policed by the company that is responsible for their area. Then the Cultura receives $3000.00usd monthly, this money goes to the conservation of artifacts and qualified personnel to do the conservation.
Until the academic community or UNESCO can foot these bills and do the work and police these areas it would be quite honestly stupid not to continue bringing in outside entities to help protect these areas from further looting. I agree qualified archaeologist need to be on board to make damn sure these sites are excavated in a proper manner. Then if it is done properly that everyone in the academic community can study and view these reports for a long time to come. But meanwhile the academics are trying their best to rid this country of companies like ours because they feel no one else is qualified. And even as we speak these sites are being looted.
This recent nonsense proves exactly what I am saying. Without reading any of Alejandros reporting (it is) automatically assumed he was not qualified for the job. Had his reports actually been read, statements like the Rawson site was only a grounding and a spill prove (nobody) read his report. Hard to sail away leaving behind the keel bolts. Yeah lets save the ship but leave the treasure and the keel behind. What a joke. (Easily discredited BS only an) attempt to discredit DBM its Archaeologist, crew and myself on our fantastic discovery. Trying to discredit DBM and Alejandro without reading his reports certainly proves (that).
(Just a lame try) to stop DBM from receiving a new contract and because it is getting close this is about their only recourse to stop it in its tracks (with fictional attempts) to hit the company at the investor level.
Our company and work ethics were always praised by this government.
Never were we accused of any wrong doing.
Never was there a diving accident, (that is something I am very proud of).
More proof of the (horsecrap).
"An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it."
--- Gandhi
