Last night we told you about the UNESCO report on the Belize Barrier
Reef system World Heritage site. It concludes that Belize’s World Heritage
Sites are poorly protected and “should be considered for immediate inscription
on the list of World Heritage in Danger.” Today the Prime Minister lamented
Belize’s inclusion on that list and discussed in very non specific terms
what can be done to restore Belize’s status.
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
“It is a wakeup call obviously and I don’t think that any plea
as to resource scarcity can serve to get us away from what clearly are our obligations
to ensure that in fact we protect the barrier reef system, we protect the designation
that we have. It would be a tragedy if we lost it and it would be a disaster
if it we lost it because of inactivity on our part because of our failure to
do the right thing. So those that are on the frontline, the frontline Ministry,
the frontline conservation agencies – everybody must work together to
ensure that this slippage that has obviously taken place be reversed as quickly
as possible.”
Opposition Leader John Briceno is in a slightly more ticklish position.
As we reported last night, included among the many irregularities on World Heritage
properties are land acquisitions, grants and leases close to 150 of them that 
were acquired between 2004 and 2008. Remarkably, Briceno who was the Minister
of Natural Resources at the time says he knew nothing of it.
John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
“According to the report and I haven’t seen the report but according
to Channel 7, it stated that between 2004 and 2008 a number of leases or titles
were issued even during my tenure. I want to make it absolutely clear that at
no time this was brought to my attention because if it was brought to my attention,
I would have never allowed them to lease any land in that area or to sell any
land in that World Heritage Site.”
Jules Vasquez,
If you didn’t know, how could it have happened? Was it some nefarious
under the table act?
John Briceno,
“The issue that you find it incredulous that I would not have known
about what, combined about 125, 130 files. As you know Jules and you have been
to my office several times when I was there that I have dealt with tens of thousands
of files. The files are brought to me, the technical people make their recommendations
that this land is available and it can be issued, that it can be approved and
then I approve it. It is in no where in the file. The only way I could find
out is if they would put in the file that this is in a marine reserve and it
is not recommended. There is a process and you know about the process and you
know that in working with tens of thousands of files Jules that it can happen.
And to say if it is nefarious or anything, it is not for me to comment on that
one.”
Also commenting on the Belzie’s precarious status today were 
the President of BTIA Dionne Chamberlain – Miranda and the Minister of
Tourism Manuel Junior Heredia.
Dionne Chamberlain-Miranda, BTIA President
“We’re actually very concerned. Belize’s marketing thrust
is based on us being a tourism destination and a lot of people travel here because
we practice sustainable tourism and we are very worried that placing us on a
danger list could mean that it would affect our tourism heavily. We are already
facing H1N1, we are already facing a downturn in the local economy, we really
don’t need for a de-marketing effort such as this. I must say our government
has been working on certain efforts, I mean the permits being put in place for
certain types of fishing, the proper Department of Environment control for over
water structures and so many other things but this report actually points out
what areas they want us to focus on and what we need to do to make it right
and I would honestly want for the government to look at this and actually let’s
start implementing some of the action steps that they have put in place because
putting us on the danger list could detrimental to our tourism’s future.”
Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr., Minister of Tourism
“I feel that personally what they were referring to or what they saw
on their visit to Belize is more of what was occurring in the past because personally
I have met with groups in Coral Reef Alliance and the other NGOs that are really
working making sure that protection is here, making sure that in the future
we can have better legislation. But I feel that their report was based mostly
what was done in the past and I personally have to admit that indeed that was
happening, a lot of clearing of mangroves. I think it is more what was being
done in the past. Today we are making sure that everything that is done is done
within the limits of the law.”
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