---
title: "Sarah Tonin The citizens of Roatan weren't "duped". There was a great..."
date: 2025-03-12
source: facebook
type: comment
context: "Archer T. Ships replied to Sarah Tonin's comment."
fb_link: "https://www.facebook.com/dyi/l/?l=AYMb8RV5sOHCLPLD2xZGEf65sP6tsF4S8QIYCE9hS6X6TjWM2UYy5oeU34vOLGu_2JJ5BPb-C8zshk8EbGYmhztX4g9Iw_vigFcVavu_JP-JKc--oYKMXl33U8ZWs48Y-Axr7mhlenPdmtwd177dARp1wJWlTUPqk_SXorhPhP-BFvJzX6G1cPSr2iU63hJtk2Rxx8zQLEk&s=519"
---

# Sarah Tonin The citizens of Roatan weren't "duped". There was a great...

*March 12, 2025 — Comment Archer T. Ships replied to Sarah Tonin's comment.*

Sarah Tonin The citizens of Roatan weren't "duped". There was a great deal of publicity about the ZEDES legislation prior to implementation.  The ZEDES legislation was first proposed in 2011, and didn't pass until 2013: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_for_Employment_and_Economic_Development Here's a Spanish language BBC article about the ZEDES from 2017: https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-42030850 Próspera wasn't founded until 2020. The ZEDES are not a "nightmare" for Hondurans. Próspera has invested > $100 million into the country.  Ciudad Morazán has invested $15-20 million and had plans to invest up to $150 million. Both sites were purchased at market prices from the previous owners (no expropriation, no eminent domain).   The land Próspera purchased was mostly jungle, the Morazán site was completely greenfield with no previous infrastructure.  Próspera's charters bars it from acquiring land via eminent domain / expropriation. All the ZEDES are bound by Honduran civil rights law as well as Honduran criminal law.  All of the ZEDES residents must first win Honduran citizenship or permanent resident status (from the Honduran government). Almost all of Morazán's residents are blue-collar Hondurans who work in the industrial city of Choloma.  Unlike Choloma (which has one of the highest murder/crime rates in the world), Morazán is safe enough that children can play in the streets, and women can walk alone at night.   There's a 200 person waiting list of Hondurans who want to live in Morazán. Próspera also employs many local Hondurans.  You can hear some of their thoughts about the project here: https://x.com/NickDranias/status/1674402978768330752 None of those investments would have happened without the guarantees that Próspera is now trying to enforce.    If the Honduran government wins, and de facto control reverts to  the Honduran government then most of the value of the investment will be lost.   (Prospera's intends to make money by charging a fee to companies and investors who move to Próspera.  Few companies will move to Próspera if they must instead deal with the corrupt and bureaucratic Honduran government.  ) Próspera didn't harass the residents of Crawfish Rock.  If anything, the reverse is true.  In fact, when Crawfish Rock's cistern failed, Próspera allowed them to connect to Próspera's water supply. https://x.com/tracewoodgrains/status/1831644050186719492