Proposed development in World Heritage Site
In 2006, the Geology Department issued two dredging permits, each for sixteen thousand cubic yards, for a development on one of the Pelican Cayes. That very year, the Pelican range was included in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve, a part of the Belize Barrier Reef World Heritage Site. Since the dredging and land fill in December of 2007, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has been quiet but last week it sent a team to investigate and assess the site. News Five’s Jose Sanchez Reports.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
A week ago representatives were in Belize to assess UNESCO World Heritage sites and reports of dredging in the Pelican Cayes area of the South Water Caye Marine Reserve. Marine Biologist, Melanie McField says that the Smithsonian Institute discovered the rich biodiversity of the Pelican Cayes in the early ninety’s.
Melanie McField, Marine Biologist
“It was discovery back about in 94 that this area was critically important has unique endemic species and is consider the most high biodiversity mangrove area in the Caribbean. And so that was included in the World Heritage site and it is mentioned in the language, you know that justifies the reason that we have this as a part of the World Heritage Site, otherwise this reef better than any other reef in the Caribbean and that site is one of the critical elements, this Pelican Range. But it was late 2007 or in 2007, there was dredging and filling activities, cutting of mangroves and sediments spilling into these really unique, interior lagoons. So it’s the deep waters and the sheltered calm waters that have all these unusual sponges and echinoderms and more species than anywhere, ever recorded before. They expressed concern because, you know, it’s something seems to have been lost along the years or in the last twelve years about. Belize was the one of who asked to put these sites in the World Heritage and yet they’re not really being afforded any higher level of protections and even for regular areas, they’re obviously not that protected.”
Jose Sanchez
“The UNESCO representatives, what were their perspectives? Were they happy, were they angry? What was their mood after this?”
Melanie McField
“I mean it was mixed, they were amazed after those snorkel where we took them in those three main islands in the Pelican range that have this unique biodiversity. And the only maps we have of the area that have labels is the ones prepared by the Smithsonian’s. The fishermen and manatee were the name of the cayes that were dredged and filled and Cat Caye is the name of the caye that remains untouched and so we took them to Cat Caye and showed them what it should look like and they said they’ve never seen anything like that before. There was an I.U.C.N specialist and the person from UNESCO World Heritage Center in Paris.”
The island that was untouched by dredging, CAT Caye, is now under consideration for development. Fisheries Administrator, Beverly Wade says that sections of the cayes were under private ownership before they became a reserve and World Heritage Site. The National Environmental Appraisal Committee has to closely examine any proposed developments in the area.
Beverly Wade, Fisheries Administrator
“Yesterday at a meeting of the National Environmental Appraisal Committee, the Chief Environmental Officer at that meeting said that he has now asked that a full blown E.I.A. be done for the development that is now is question for Cat Caye, in the south water caye marine reserve. I believe that the name of that development is Yum Bilisi. They will now have to go prepare that E.I.A. and bring it to the National Environmental Appraisal Committee for consideration.”
Jose Sanchez
“And that’s when the Fisheries Department also gives its viewpoint?”
Beverly Wade
“Yes, we are a member on that committee and that’s where we come to that committee with what our concerns would be.”
Jose Sanchez
“It is a world heritage site. Is it a large development? What can you say about it at this point?”
Beverly Wade
“My understand of it is that It’s a very small so called eco-friendly development that they are proposing but we are requiring that an E.I.A.—we’ve asked that an E.I.A. be done because it is in marine reserve and by law really, it should an E.I.A. for development, for what happens in the marine reserve and we have taken note that this is a sensitive area and we need to consider whether or not we want to look at such a development happening out there. We also have the responsibility, as government, to also look at the fact that, if development will happen, that it’s done in a responsible way and it’s done in a way that does not in no way jeopardize the integrity of that ecosystem”
Melanie McField
“But there are serious concerns about what’s happening, particularly in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve.”
Jose Sanchez
“What’s the worst that they can do?”
Melanie McField
“Well, now I guess the first step would be putting it on the danger list. The worst could be they remove it, it could be removed, but very rarely they said it has happened. I think they said it happened once or twice, or something just no longer has its value and has to be removed. So, you know we’re not there but the danger listing is a possibility because, you know, if the country isn’t taking the property due care to ensure integrity for what’s its inscribed for which is including this Pelican Range and it’s biodiversity then it could be listed in danger.”
Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.
