6 weeks ago, we told you about the disputed development proposed for Cayo Rosario, a 10-acre island off the northwest coast of San Pedro Town. The National Environmental Appraisal Committee (NEAC) has granted permission for an environmental impact assessment to be done on Cayo Rosario, which is the next step in the approval process for this small island to be developed into a tourist destination.
The initial plan was for over 80 over-the-water structures to be built as part of the facility, but NEAC convinced the developer to downsize to only half of that.
The environmentally-minded residents of San Pedro say, however, that the Government shouldn’t have approved this development in the first place, since the island is the habitat for sensitive marine wildlife. Also, Cayo Rosario makes up a part of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve.
The Ambergris Caye Citizens for Sustainable Development, which is the group of citizens that has become the biggest opponents to the development, have been applying public pressure on the Department of Environment and the NEAC to rescind the approval for Cayo Rosario’s development. They’ve written to both the Chief Environmental Officer, Martin Allegria, and NEAC requesting a meeting. Those letters have gone unanswered, and so, the citizen organization says that it will sue the Government to stop the development.
In a press release the organization says, quote, “Downsizing From ‘Absurd’ to ‘Ridiculous’ does not make the approved development at Cayo Rosario reasonable or appropriate.” End quote. They are most concerned about the trenching and dredging that would be needed around Cayo Rosario to make the development possible.
Their letter says, quote, “Cayo Rosario is an ecologically diverse area serving as a habitat for birding and flash fish populations, yet, the EIA has failed to assess the impact that dredging and construction of the over-the-water structures would have on these species.” End quote.
Email
Print