While environmental groups have flagged major issues with the cruise port side of Port of Belize Limited’s expansion plans, they’re not opposing the entire project. In fact, the coalition is backing the proposed cargo expansion, which they say is crucial to Belize City and the country’s economic growth. Doctor Melanie McField, founder of the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative, explains why she believes the cargo port is essential and where the line is being drawn.
Melanie McField
Dr. Melanie McField, Founder, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative
“Yes to the extend that, to me the biggest problem is the straightening of the channel, because that involves the dredging and it is not even the dredging. That is not the right term for a lot of what they need to do. They need to cut bedrock and excavate that, so that is a whole lot harder than just dredging sand. That is the piece. You don’t need that for the cargo. It simplifies things, makes your journey a little less winding but it is not required. And the commercial port is there, it needs to be there, that is Belize City. The cruise terminal, that is the large scale policy decision that the government and the people need to make. The BTB back in 2010 did this nice sustainable tourism plan that talked about where the cruise port should be. We are not even using documents we have but we need this national level approach for the cruise terminal, it is different than the commercial port.”
NGO Community Warns Belize Can’t Support Multiple Cruise Ports
Looking ahead, environmental leaders warn Belize may be reaching a tipping point. Chairperson of the Belize Network of NGOs, Doctor Elma Kay, says that without a clear national port development plan, both the environment and the economy could feel the strain. With multiple cruise port projects now on the table across the country, Dr. Kay argues Belize can realistically support only one massive cruise port, and the decisions made now will determine the road ahead.
Elma Kay
Dr. Elma Kay, Chairperson, Belize Network of NGOs
“If we don’t have a plan, then development becomes ad hoc and with all this talk of several ports, then we have to consider the discussion of cumulative impacts. There has been a lot of feasibility studies that have shown that we can only economically, we can only accommodate one of those ports and that can also be environmentally, because imagine three huge cruise ports for Belize. So, that was the reason behind that, and I think what we are saying here is there needs to be a clear plan and social contract as to how we are moving ahead with these developments. And we understand the need for the cargo port, but I think the cruise port is what is in question.”
With NEAC’s stamp of approval, one thing is certain, the project will move ahead in the face of the coalition’s concerns. But, Prime Minister John Briceno has already committed to taking the concerns seriously while the project is being developed. We will continue to follow.
GOB Defends Port of Belize Expansion Despite Planning Concerns
Even as environmental groups warn that Belize risks moving ahead without a clear national port plan, government is pressing forward with the Port of Belize expansion. Despite a formal request urging regulators to halt approval, the project has received the green light. Sustainable Development Minister Orlando Habet says the concerns are familiar territory, noting earlier proposals were rejected over unresolved flaws. This time, he insists changes have been made, and government is prepared to address outstanding issues as construction moves ahead.
Orlando Habet
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
“Look, this proposal isn’t really, in all terms, a very new proposal. It is something that came up a few years ago with a different company trying to do the same project. But that project was, in a way, denied by NEAC. Or at least what they did was to inform the company, listen, if you want to go ahead with this, there are certain mitigation measures that you have to do. And there are certain things that you have to do differently. We can’t tell you exactly what to do, because that’s your job through presentation from EIA. But we can more or less tell you what it is, guide you. But the company refused. So years later, the government acquired the Port of Belize. And so now we have a submission for a new proposal. And so really and truly, we have gone through that many times before. And I think the chief environmental officer mentioned that when he was questioned about it. And so there’s not really much more that you can do. They also went through the immediate community in Port Loyola, speaking to them, having conversations with them. But as I mentioned, even in the first proposal that was done some years ago, and now the geotechnical information and the materials that will be used were already specified so that then they can be, whatever materials are dredged can be contained. However, in the first one, they had a lot of flaws, which they did not want to address. In this one, those have been addressed, saying, “Listen, this will be the containment area. This is what we are going to do.”
And while NGOs have raised concerns about a lack of consultation with the Belize Mangrove Alliance, Habet says they received no communication from the group, not even a letter.
Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.
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