by Khaila Gentle
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Aug. 11, 2022
In December 2021, the proposal for the expansion of the Port of Belize Limited and construction of a cruise terminal and cruise tourism village by Waterloo Investment Holdings—a company reportedly owned by Lord Michael Ashcroft—was rejected after its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was denied approval by the
National Environmental Appraisal Committee (NEAC). A notice issued by the Department of the Environment
DOE) this week has revealed, however, that the Port has resubmitted an application for review of its EIA to the Department.
The notice informs the public that the document is available for viewing at the Port Loyola Library, National Library Service, Leo Bradley Library, and Turton Library Center, all in Belize City, and invites persons to submit their comments regarding the report to the DOE by September 2. It also notes that a public consultation will be held at the Best Western Biltmore Plaza Hotel on September 1 at 6:30 p.m.
When the NEAC first rejected Waterloo’s proposal in 2021, it cited six reasons, including the fact that insufficient consultations had been held with the population living nearest the proposed site.
Earlier that year, the UBAD Educational Foundation (UEF) visited the Port Loyola community and conducted interviews to assess how informed residents were on the proposed development. Most persons knew little to nothing about the project and even less about its possible effects on the community.
In an article dated Thursday, July 7, 2022, we made reference to remarks made by chairperson of UEF, Sista Yaya Marin Coleman, who, during an AMANDALA interview, pointed out that, when it comes to discussing the proposed development, the people who are set to be directly affected— those in Port Loyola—often remain voiceless, while all other entities, including the investors and the government, get their say.
The proposed expansion at the Port of Belize Ltd., expected to cost around BZ $400 million, has been lauded by developers as an opportunity for employment, economic growth, and a boost in tourism. Despite this, environmental advocates, NGOs, and concerned members of the public have raised numerous concerns over the years about the potential environmental and social impacts that development will have on the surrounding communities and the ecosystem. Most notably, the large-scale dredging and the dumping of dredged material could severely impact the surrounding environment, so much so that even the Belize Water Services Limited (BWS) has openly rejected the proposal.
In July 2020, Waterloo Investment Holdings made its first attempt at conducting a public consultation, during which most in attendance gave a resounding “no” in response to the project. A second consultation was held in September 2021, and the proposed development received just as much opposition as it did the year before.