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APAMO To DOE: Check Closely Into Stake Bank Project
posted (June 27, 2013)
Today, the National Environmental Appraisal Committee was supposed to meet on the development being proposed by the Feinstein Group.

As we've shown you, the major part of the development is the construction of a mega-causeway from Belize City to North Drown Caye, and another causeway from North Drown Caye to Stakebank.

As we've reported, the Association of Protected Areas Management Organizations (APAMO) said that the Department of Environment did not conduct a proper EIA or public consultation.

Well, since yesterday was supposed to be the deadline for submission by members of the public, we caught up with APAMO's representatives this morning to talk about the project.

They say that even though this is a major development, the impacts on the natural resources are sometimes overlooked, and the checklists are often rushed through:

Jose Perez - Executive Director, APAMO
"We believe that for the size of the structure, which is being proposed which is a mega three point something kilometers causeway which will include massive pillars having to go into the ocean floor - we believe that a comprehensive EIA needs to be done, none has been done. We believe that individually, the three developments that are being proposed they need Environmental Impact Assessments. We have to recongize that the very important and vibrant tourism industry is based on our natural resources and one of those natural resources is our barrier reef. The barrier reef is the largest in this hemisphere - which other country has that? They might have mega structures but what is at stake in those countries? Here what we have is our natural resources - very priceless. So if we don't take care of those resources you might have mega facilities and mega developments but after those developments exist for the next 15 - 25 years and all the resources are finished and destroyed - then what will be left for this country? So I think we have to realize that we have natural resources which too have a very high economic value."

And you may have noticed that we used the word, "supposed" when referring to the scheduled submission deadline, and the NEAC meeting. That's because we visited the Department of Environment, where the environmental officers could not definitely tell us if that deadline is solid. We were told to contact the Minister Lisel Alamilla, who was out of the country, and her CEO, who was out of the office, for confirmation.

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