Belize’s ports keep the country’s economy moving, but a coalition of environmental groups says the way one major port is set to expand could leave a lasting mark on the coastline, nearby communities, and even Belize’s climate goals. That concern is driving a formal challenge now before the National Environmental Appraisal Committee. In a detailed submission, the coalition is challenging the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for Port of Belize Limited’s proposed Cargo Expansion and Cruise Port Development Project. While the plan includes cargo upgrades, it’s the cruise port expansion that has environmental advocates most alarmed. They warn that what happens next could alter Belize’s coastal future. Today, News Five’s Paul Lopez sat down with members of the coalition to break down their concerns and what’s at stake. He brings us this report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
In a letter sent on April first to the Department of the Environment, the Coalition to Save Our National Heritage warns that Belize is charging ahead with major port developments without a clear, legally binding national ports strategy to guide the process. The warning letter arrived just eight days before the National Environmental Appraisal Committee approved the project. Even so, the committee pushed forward, approving it despite the concerns. The group, which represents more than a dozen environmental NGOs, argues that the absence of national framework creates serious gaps in environmental oversight and weakens accountability at a critical moment for the country.
Elma Kay
Dr. Elma Kay, Chair, Belize Network of NGOs
“This is an issue that has come up multiple times. In fact, this specific development. This is the third time it is going up for approval this is not a conversation from yesterday. And there was a promise form the Government of Belize that there would be an undertaking to develop a national ports policy. In 2021, there was a clear press release signaling the direction of the government, that indeed based on the recommendations of the public, of different organizations that were on top this issue that there was not for clarity as to how we were going to move ahead with ports in Belize.”
A major concern centers on how dredge material from the project would be handled. While the proposal was revised to create artificial mangrove islands, the NGOs say the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment is missing critical studies to show the structures would be safe and stable over time. They warn that without data on erosion, settlement, and storm resilience, the risk of collapse or unintended sediment release remains unresolved.
Melanie McField
Dr. Melanie McField, Founder, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative
“I almost feel like it is kind of a red herring that they tossed into us. Because, now here we are talking about whether it is going to work or not, regardless of whether it works of not, they fact that they are proposing to dump that volume of dredge spoil from the bottom of port and from all of this other area, that dredged up material is likely to be filled with metals, pathogens and things that needs to stay buried. So the fact that you are going to dredge it up and dump it back into the sea, even if it worked as a mangrove island, and we don’t know the probability of whether it will work or not, because they have not done the studies. But that the water quality, the potential for really deteriorated water quality down stream is there.”
Beyond marine damage, the coalition warns the ESIA ignores air and noise pollution. They argue cruise ships burn massive amounts of fuel at dock, exposing residents to emissions and undercutting Belize’s promise to cut greenhouse gases.
Alyssa Noble
Alyssa Noble, Sr. Communications Director, Oceana Belize
“If you look at how these ships are evolving, these cruise ships are evolving, they are not getting any smaller. They are getting bigger and they are meant to hold more people. More people means more food, more waste generally, and how is that handled, how will that be disposed of and the idea of talking about all these cruise ports are because they want to attract all these larger vessels. It is widely proven that these are large consumers of fossil fuels, lots of pollution, as Lisa mentioned, air and there is a solid waste component, food waste components that comes with these larges ships and Belize is only so big.”
The NGOs also dispute claims of stakeholder engagement, stating that no consultation was ever held with the Belize Mangrove Alliance, a statement they want publicly retracted.
Lisa Carne
Lisa Carne, Founder, Fragments of Hope
“We were also disturbed that at the public meeting consultations in Belize City, they kept assuring that local NGOs were consulted and we have since confirmed that they were no consultation with the local Mangrove Alliance organization. So that is a major red flag right there.”
Dr. Elma Kay
“I think this is a project in which the duty of care has been elevated. My understating is that the government of Belize bought this port. How did we do that, it has to be tax payers dollars. So, when I comes to duty of care and consultation. What are the pathways through which Belizeans are being consulted on this very critical development?”
In their submission, the NGOs recommend that the cruise port component of the project be denied for a third time, allowing the developer to return with a revised proposal that meaningfully addresses environmental and social risks. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
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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