Belize, Caribbean in Danger as Sargassum Invasion will be Much Worse

In 2018, News Five took a look at the crippling effects of sargassum, a brown, foul and invasive microalga. In October of last year, the Ministry of Tourism and the Belize Tourism Board worked on a plan to deal with the influx of sargassum which began affecting at least four top tourist destinations in Belize. While it was thought that 2018 was bad in terms of the sargassum invasion, 2020 is looking to be the worse year yet. Researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico warned on Tuesday that the Caribbean is at risk. This morning, Tourism Minister Manuel Heredia Junior confirmed that a regional meeting will take place later in the month in Cancun where a regional plan will be created to address the problem.

Manuel Heredia Jr.

Manuel Heredia Jr., Minister of Tourism

“Our understanding is that the prediction this year will be worse than last year. We will be meeting in Cancun, all the ministers from the entire Caribbean and Mexico on the twenty eight to come up what is happening on each others’ grounds and to see what will be an overall solution to this. Just like the making sargassum block, and gas but that is some infant stages but we have to come up with other formulas. It is something that it is not caused by human being but probably human error that caused it to happen. But it is there and we have to make sure that we do the best out of it. It is helping a lot like in San Pedro where low areas are being field but that is not the solution. B.T.B. and government have partnered and we have been helping the industry with that two person which translates to twenty percent actually, dollar wise to be able to help our industry. Hopefully we will have to do that again. It also puts a heavy strain both at B.T.B. and government because those are monies that you earmarked for others, probable marketing and so, but you have to use to alleviating the problem but the problem is there. If we don’t take care of it then the industry will suffer.”