And OCEANA also sent out a release expressing its disappointment with the Petroleum Exploration Zones and Exploration Guidelines - which was circulated in draft form today from the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology and Public Utilities. OCEANA says that the document is weak on data, short on details and could cause damage to the environment.
The release says quote "Oceana Belize maintains that before any steps are taken to allow offshore exploration, the government of Belize must ensure that tourism and fishing related jobs are protected and that an effective emergency response capacity is in place."
COLA also sent out a release today saying the booklet sets out four zones for petroleum exploration, encompassing nearly all of the territory of Belize, but in only one of these zones is any sort of exploration restricted - namely the Maya Mountains and portions of Stann Creek and Toledo Districts and the extreme northern tip of Ambergris Caye.
It adds that in the remaining three zones, both on and off-shore pre-drilling activities are…permitted…This includes the Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
COLA says that quote, "the idea of harmonizing the environment with development through offshore drilling in particular is ludicrous."
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