Official Comment from NEAC Chair on Proposed Port of Belize Expansion
Kenrick Williams
A decision by the National Environmental Appraisal Committee, NEAC, was rendered last week in respect of the proposed Port of Belize Expansion Project. In the wake of that decision which was a near-unanimous vote against the project, NEAC, as well as the Ministry of Sustainable Development, remained tight-lipped about the rationale behind that decision. Finally, there is official word from NEAC regarding the proposed Port of Belize Expansion project by Waterloo. Today, News Five spoke with the chairman, Doctor Kenrick Williams, about the decision and what that means for the project. The C.E.O. in the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management says that members of the committee provided expert research on various aspects of the project, but in the end, its recommendation had to go against the project.
Dr. Kenrick Williams, Chair, NEAC
“We had the meeting of the NEAC last week; there were several deliberations in terms of the NEAC, in terms of the public’s opinion, perceptions of the project and of course what is presented to them in the form of the environment and social impact assessment as well as the addendum and the broader technical information that was presented. Usually that’s the extent of the review of the NEAC and as is in the public, the NEAC has made a decision or a recommendation to the Department of the Environment as it relates to this specific project. Now the D.O.E. now is looking at that information. One component of its deliberation is what the NEAC presents but is also then go back through the document, look at what is presented, look at the recommendation of the NEAC, public opinion, the reports provided. So it is in the process of making sure there is a very comprehensive analysis and base on that, we respond to the development.”
Duane Moody
“So NEAC did say no.”
Dr. Kenrick Williams
“NEAC did recommend a no to the project. But that’s not the end of the process. That then goes to the department and the department deliberates with that information and what is presented.”
