7 News Belize

Tour Guide Alleges Belizeans Log Illegally Too
posted (October 1, 2014)

Over the years, here at 7News we've told you about many instances where Guatemalans have been making incursions into Belizean territory to conduct illegal activities in trying to get at the country's natural resources.

We've never heard of Belizeans going over to Guatemala to do the very same thing which even at the faintest whisper, inflames the passions the patriots and activists.

Well, there is a report coming from tour guides in Cayo which says that Belizeans have been engaging in the very same thing over in the archaeological reserve of El Pilar on the Guatemalan side.

One Tour Guide gave us his version:

Patrick Bradley, Cayo Tour Guide

"Just like how we have the Guatemalans coming into Belize, as we know, all stories have two sides. If the presence of our government forces an ad out there, what's happens to the Guatemalans are happening to the Belizeans. What happens to the Belizeans are happening for the Guatemalans. We see in the area that we have some loggers that log within this area, would go over to Guatemala and doing illegal cutting as well. Why? The presence of the military, the presence of the government is not out in the area. What we see they do in the north or the south of Belize in the Caracol area, in the north part of Belize in Guatemala, the Belizeans are going over to Guatemala to do illegal cutting."

Daniel Ortiz

"What kind of wood are they seeking?"

Patrick Bradley

"Mostly mahogany, seeder and hardwood to do lumbering in the area."

Reporter

"Tell us about the skill thought, because the terrain is a very difficult one."

Patrick Bradley

"The terrain is very difficult, but for anybody who's doing anything illegal, it will never be difficult for them. They'll find a way how to get through, they'll find a way how to get in. Like the Guatemalans coming into Belize with horses, the Belizeans they don't do it as bad as that, these guys go main roads and when they get into the area they bring out their logs and vice versa."

Reporter

"How did you become aware of it?"

Patrick Bradley

"Well, right now when we drive back on the road, you look beside the road, you are going to see big logs out there and it's coming from Guatemala, right in the national reserves over there. Because over here we wouldn't be able to get it in this area because this is a developed area by farmers. And the wood that you're looking at is not what you'll get in Belize, so you know it comes from Guatemala. We would like to have the military presence in the area and securing the area from both Guatemalans and illegal Belizeans cutting log over there. That way we in the tourism industry would be safe and people would put back this tour on their list of tours we do in Belize."

Lisel Alamilla, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, told us today that this allegation comes as a complete surprise. She tells us that he has taken note of it, but in all of her years doing conservation work, there have NEVER been any report of Belizeans acting illegally across the Guatemalan side of the border. She also stressed that the Belizean diplomats have never encountered any such allegation from the Guatemalan counterparts, which, she says, would have certainly emerged in discussions between both sides.

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