Prime Minister expresses optimism on citrus cleanup

Prime
Minister Said Musa this morning paid a visit to the Stann Creek Valley.
His visit comes at a time when a financially reinvigorated citrus industry
promises both economic hope and environmental fear. At a meeting with
Del Oro, the British owned company, which has purchased Belize Food Products
and the Citrus Company of Belize, the P.M. and Citrus Minister Henry Canton
met with CEO Randy Fleming and other Del Oro officials. After discussing
recent incidents in which overflow from Del Oro’s citrus waste ponds polluted
the North Stann Creek, Musa emerged to express his confidence that the
company can and will clean up its act.

Prime Minister Said Musa
“It is something that has been growing perhaps over the last fifty
years, ever since this industry started. But I believe that Del Oro is
prepared to cope with the problem and we are very pleased about that.
Clearly there are still major concern in the community particularly in
Dangriga and we have to be sensitive to those, but at the same time I
think the truth and the reality must come out that steps are being taken
to deal with the problem.”

While world market citrus prices remain low, there is optimism that
improved factory efficiency, increased acreage, better farming practices
and the introduction of new products will make Belize’s citrus industry
an important contributor to the nation’s economic growth.