Citizens group case against Chalillo dam begins in Supreme Court
The Chalillo dam was designed to produce electricity but the project has been a consistent source of legal controversy. In the latest case, a citizens group based in the Cayo district is asking the Chief Justice of Belize to order the Department of Environment to enforce the law. According to the members of the Belize Institute of Law and Policy, the owners of Chalillo, BECOL, are not meeting the requirements of many of the more than two hundred terms and conditions set out in the Environmental Compliance Plan but there has been no reaction from DoE. The matter is being presented by Candy Gonzalez who is focusing on four specific areas: an absence of adequate mercury level testing in the Macal River, a lack of water quality analysis, limited public awareness programs and the non-existence of an emergency plan should there be a break in the dam.
Candy Gonzalez, BELPO
“Simulations of a possible dam breach when the reservoir is full are astounding in the sense that they are talking about water coming all the way up to the Catholic Church in San Ignacio. We are not talking about a minor thing if there should be a breach and having an assurance that the dam was built not to break. We are supposed to have plans in case of worse case scenario. It’s nice to say we are not going to have a hurricane but we’re also prepared in case there is a hurricane so that’s why we are back in court saying, keep your promises. Now you want to build a third dam which exacerbates the problem and you haven’t fulfilled the commitments for the second dam.”
Michael Young, Attorney, BECOL
“When one looks at the overall approach of both DoE and BECOL, it will be absolutely clear that not only is BECOL a corporate developer that seeks to comply with the E.C.P. and conditions which are set by the DoE, but it is an organization, or a corporation, that is willing to go further than that which is required by the E.C.P. for the protection of the environment. And in that regard, as the evidence in the case shows, they have spent millions of dollars more than they were required to do under the E.C.P.”
Janelle Chanona
“So your basis would be that your clients have gone over and beyond the call of the E.C.P.?”
Michael Young
“Absolutely and we think that that is clear from the evidence, from the documentation which has been exhibited, to the affidavits that we have put in.”
The suit is also asking the court to halt the construction of the third dam downstream at VACA. Crown Counsel Priscilla Banner is representing the Department of the Environment. The case is scheduled to continue tomorrow before Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh.
