BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Mar. 2, 2023
This afternoon, as the public continues to hear reports about the tangle taking place between two rival cruise tourism port projects – the Stake Bank “Port Coral” and the Port Magical Belize in the Big Creek area – and as Belizeans are focused on the breezy holiday weekend of sports, including basketball and football and Baron Bliss Regatta and the overpowering Ruta Maya River Challenge, in the midst of all these events competing for attention, a government press release this afternoon disclosed that the tribunal has been appointed to hear the Waterloo appeal of the D.O.E. decision to deny approval of its cruise tourism project.
What is of grave concern to many citizens, is not only that this 3-member tribunal will have the authority to overturn the decision of the Department of the Environment (D.O.E.) which was made on the advice of its near 20-member National Environmental Appraisal Committee (NEAC), but that the decision of the tribunal will be “final.”
Below is the GoB press release:
Ministry of Sustainable Development establishes Tribunal to Review DOE’s Decision on the Port Of Belize Expansion and Cruise Tourism Project
BELMOPAN, BELIZE, March 2, 2023
In accordance with Regulation 27 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Amendment) Regulations, S. I. 24 of 2007, the Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management has established a tribunal to review the decision made by the Department of the Environment to not grant environmental clearance to Waterloo
Investment Holdings Limited for the Port Expansion and Cruise Tourism Project.
The Tribunal shall be comprised of the following persons.
i. Honorable Madame Justice Patricia Farnese, High Court Judge who will serve as
Chairperson.
ii. Lucy Fleming will serve as the Private Sector representative. Lucy Fleming has extensive
expertise in the business sector, particularly the tourism sector.
iii. Professor Terrance Hughes will serve as the science expert having academic knowledge
and training in environment, natural resources management and other related disciplines.
The Tribunal shall convene shortly to start its deliberations.
-press release-