Is Portico in Violation of its Environmental Compliance Plan?
Orlando Habet
Also during today’s House Meeting, the Minister of Sustainable Development, Orlando Habet, responded to a question asked by the Leader of the Opposition in respect of the Environmental Compliance Plan granted to Portico Enterprises Limited by the Department of Environment.
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
“The Port of Magical [Belize] project was granted environmental clearance on April 9th, 2021 after having gone through the environmental impact assessment process. The Environmental Compliance Plan was a requirement of the environmental clearance letter and was signed on the same day as usually done with most if not all projects. The project was granted clearance in six phases. Phase one was the submission of a detailed engineering design of the peninsula, taking into consideration, minimizing the potential negative impact from current flows southward and manatee movements along the seashore. Two: the development and submission of a manatee management plan and three: submission of a rapid ecological assessment looking at soil bearing and load capacity at the access road dewatering site. Phase two was for the construction of an all-weather road within crown lands connecting the project site to the George Price Highway, its infrastructure with proper drainage sub-base and the bridge over the Sibun River. The clearing of land in preparation for the dewatering site and the construction of the containment dewatering site. Phase three would then entail dredging of usable material from the turning basin and access channel for disposal in the dewater containment site, and also the construction of outer and intermediary bounds for the peninsula. Phase four would entail the dredging of usable material for the filling of the peninsula and retreat island, the fencing of the project site to comply with the international ports requirements, the pavement and finishing of the access road, the construction of beaches, the retreat island and creation of inland waterways.”
