Cleaning the reef? Louisiana Company wants to open shop
The quality of water that runs through the pipes isn’t the only issue that is pressing on economies of islands like San Pedro and Caye Caulker. The lifeline of the cayes are divided between tourism and fishing. And as it turns out, cleaning the reef is a niche market that is mostly unheard of in the Jewel. But two businessmen from Louisiana hope to introduce Belize to its brand of cleanup. According to the Gulf South Steel partners, they can perform salvage operations when ships, yachts and other vessels are grounded on the reef.
Paul Koffler, Partner in Gulf South Steel
“We’re looking to see what resources we have to get to to get to clean up a lot of the reef. We’re aware that Belize has the second largest barrier reef and that some ships ran aground on the reef and we want to see what we can do to extract the ships away from the reef and protect the reef from endangering the environment.”
Jose Sanchez
“Recently, we have had a lot of ships—one large example is the Westerhaven—I knew they had to bring in tugboats from outside of Belize to come and remove this very large vessel that destroyed a portion of our reefs. What do you think that you can bring? Is this something permanent? How much does it cost?”
Mike Easterling
Mike Easterling, Partner in Gulf South Steel
“Well actually it’s a two prong thing that we want to do. The first thing we want to do is come in and clean up; you there are a lot of smaller ships and barges that get run aground on the reef and just get left or even in the ports—to clean that all up out of the water because it is better for the environment. And the second thing is to take out of service ships and have an ongoing business of demolishing those ships in a safe environmentally friendly way; creating jobs for people in Belize and at the same time ensuring that the environmentally friendly remediation and destruction of the ships. And also a portion of the money that we make will from the demolishing of the ships will go back to conservation of the manatees and sea turtles.”
Jose Sanchez
“Has any dialogue started with perhaps the ports, commissioner or any relevant government body?”
Paul Koffler
“Well we started working with BELTRAIDE about three years ago, but with the economy, it didn’t really allow us to come back in the country to where we can start this project. Well you know our economy in the states has improved a little bit better to where we can work with them and see what we can do about getting our permits and getting our equipment down here.”
Jose Sanchez
“How soon should we be seeing you operational?
Paul Koffler
“I would hope in the next couple months.”
Please keep the predators out of our waters, again americans want to tap in, these ships can be an attraction for man made reefs and home to multiple species of fishes, if we can have a man made reef then the real reef would not be exploited. They need to clean up Louisiana
KEEP THE FORIEGNERS AWAY. THEY ARE EXPLOITERS.
PEACE
Sounds like a scam to me to get the Belizean tax payer’s money; if he happens to get a contract to do work you can safely say that whoever gave him the contract is in cahoots to get some kickbacks. Remember, My Legacy B4 My People.
I see this as a Breath of fresh Air. we actually could see the opening of a new industry. we should allow this and as the same time remember belie is not a island and if we are to grow we most be open to developement and the birth if new industries. god knows we need more oppertunites in this country
WOW ! We are starting to become like America take the work away from our own people and we are going to OUTSOURCE it. We Belizean are suppose to be smarter than that don’t let these people think that we need there help all they are doing is helping them self to something that they see would benefit them. Paul Koffler and Mike Easterling can stay in Louisiana and finish the BP OIL CLEAN-UP then go to Missippi. The GOOD OLD BOYS AS THEY ARE CALLED IN AMERICA JUST WANT TO EXPLOIT THE BEAUTY OF BELIZE. DONT LET THE RED NECK IN OR YOU WILL BE SORRY
WHO IS PAYING FOR THIS ………….and HOW MUCH?????????????????
If we allow the white men to come into our country to do whatever they want, then we are doomed. It’s like saying that we Belizeans do have the talent and ability to do our own work. Have you notice how most of the resorts are owned by foreigners? We need to stop the madness of allowing others to own the industries in Belize while we become their slaves.
to all this people that are saying not to let other open industries here in bze then y dont you guys opne the business if you have the money to start a business like this. this ppl are coming to create new jobs and all you can think of is not to let them.
They want the steel, it is worth a lot of money, they will reprocess it and sell it on the world market for a pretty penny. Yes, agreed, Americans like this are simply parasites, wanting to feed off poor nations; wolf in sheep’s clothing, indeed.
bzn2dabone:I totally agree with your statement.Our motto has changed to Belizeans last and foreigners first.Havn’t you noticed that in the past month three foreigners had been appointed by the PM to top positions that could have been held by Belizeans.
I know both of these men personally and I can vouch for their character and integrity. I and my wife have done Christian volunteer work for almost 40 years and both of these men have helped us to help others for the last 15 of those years. We were doing volunteer work in Mexico for the last 7 years, helping get donations of clothes, toys and educational materials (books, pencils, notebooks, etc.) for over 500 children in 23 oprhanages, plus helping 3 very impoverished villages as well.
Mike and Paul have consistently given financially to help these projects and THERE WAS NOTHING IN THIS FOR THEM and they helped us consistently when the economy in the USA was at its absolute worst, and it had affected their businesses as well.
When they have told us they would do something, they have fulfilled their word with us, so if they say that they will create jobs for people there, that they want to help clean up the environment, from our experience with them I can say that what they say, they will do.
By the way, I am not their employee, nor is there anything in this venture for me or my wife.
Paul Koffler and Mike Easterling are honest and good people, hard workers who know how to take initiative, the kind of people you would want as neighbors, even though they are not from Belize.
I am so sorry that Belize has apparently had some very sad experiences with foreigners, Paul and Mike are not like that.
Obviously you don’t know them, but if you ever do have the good fortune to meet them, you would find them to be kind, gentle people who truly are touched with the needs around them. We know them to be that kind of people. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
It is so easy to criticize someone you don’t know just on the basis of their nationality.
My wife and I have done Christian volunteer work for the last 40 years, and we can vouch for the integrity and kindness of Paul Koffler and Mike Easterling.
For the last 7 years Mike and Paul have financially helped us purchase educational materials, as well as toys, clothes and other needs for over 500 children in 23 orphanages in Mexico, as well as over 200 families in 3 very impoverished villages in the mountains of central Veracruz.
THERE WAS NOTHING IN THIS FOR THEM, other than the satisfaction of knowing they were helping children and families in need.
We have known Paul and Mike to be honest, hard working people and they helped our projects at a time when the economy in the USA was at it’s worst and they had every reason “not to give”.
The fact that you don’t want a foreign company to get the job described in this article is very understandable, but your unkind comments about them personally are not understandable. They are not rednecks and neither of them are parasites.
In fact if you were to get to know them personally, you would find them to be the kind of people you would want for neighbors.
By the way, I am not an employee of either of them, nor is there anything in this for me other than to defend two honest people. Thank you for taking time to read this and may the Lord give you insight and wisdom.
Considering that these ships have been in the water for many years, and the sea life and reef are being impacting more and more everyday, I would say that all of you negative people should get off your lazy @$$#$ then and do it yourselves. Someone is wanting to come in and help clean up the country and give jobs to a country where most do not have electricity and all you can do is whine about it! What a crock. I am totally disgusted. And by the way, these men are NOT rednecks or exploiters. These are Christian men trying to help create jobs for a poor country. I will pray for you all and ask that God forgive your negativity and ignorance.
No Belizean Citizen can’t go to America and dictate to them so . all you !@#$%^&* that have a problem with our opinion.
Aha so who is the Director at BELTRAIDE who they are dealing with? is it the same person singhing for his supper and saying that there were no technology shifts at these utlities they take over/nationalized for belizeans? the same one bringing in foreignors to invest in petrol in corozal and expanding bsi and now this? Come on these guys are getting rich off this…prove me wrong…prove me wrong…its in the laws, when a ship runs aground, there are millions that need to be spent in damages by the culprits…that money needs to go back to belize to rehabilitate the reef…its the same damn people that are around the morning shows painting a colorful picture about expansion and economic growth opportunistically engaging these people…STOP SINGHING FOR YOUR DAMN SUPPER>>GREEDY A@@$$$ REDD DEVILLSS>>..!!!
What a crock, obviously you and all americans walking around the earth like the saviours of the planet need to start clean up at home. We can handle our business, what we cant stand is corruption and people in power being opportunistic. ..so if you are so self righteouos and want to help poor belizeans, why are there so many homeless and helpless people in a city 20 times bigger and 100 times richer than the entire Belize – New York. You need not go far Crock or should i say CROOK..? And dont use the word Christianity as a means to get yourselves ahead, you know this is a straight up busiuness deal and you all will sing, sing singh!!
I believe this when i believe that ACE in PG is actually helping Crocs and not exporting them to buyers looking to buy delicacies…The only thing left for Evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing…
Out with FOREIGNERS WE NEED BELIZE FOR BELIZEANS. WE NEED TO CHANGE THE LAW TO ENTER BELIZE WHERE A VISA BECOMES NECESSARY. BELIZE NEED TO OPEN UP VISA OFFICES IN ALL CONSULATES AND EMBASSIES AROUND THE WORLD AND CHARGE PEOPLE TO COME TO BELIZE. REGARDING NATIONALITY- A PERSON MUST LIVE IN BELIZE FOR 15 YEARS WITHOUT A POLICE RECORD, HAVE NO MORE THAT 2 CHILDREN, HAVE A JOB AND A BANK ACCOUNT WITH NO LESS THAN $5, 000.00, MUST SPEAK ENGLISH (Know and sing the Anthem, and all Social knowledge of Belize, AND DONE 1 YEAR WORTH OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND SHOW THEIR TAX RECEIPT.
TRACKING AND MONITORING- ALL BORDER POINTS AND CHECK POINTS NEED TO HAVE A COMPUTER BASED ON AN ELECTRONIC ID SYSTEM, MEANING ALL BZEANS MUST HAVE A NATIONALITY CARD WITH A CHIP IN IT. IN BARBADOS YOU CANNOT JUST SHOW UP, GET CABLE, REGISTER FOR SCHOOL, GET ELECTRICITY, CABLE AND TELEPHONE -IT TAKES 4- 6 MONTHS AFTER YOU ARE SCREENED. ONE OF THESE DAYS WE WILL GET A RUDE AWAKENING . I WAS BORN HERE, LIVE HERE, WORKED HERE WITH GOB FOR 31 YRS ALL MY LIFE, MARRIED FOR 23 YEARS WITH 5 KIDS ALL IN SEC AND TER EDUCATION PAID FROM MY POCKET- NO SCHOLARSHIP (refinanced the mortgage on the old house every other year). NEVER BEEN TO JAIL, NEVER STOLE GOV’T or anybody for that matter. WORKED MOST WEEKENDS TO ACHIEVE MY GOALS. I PLACED MY LIFE ON THE LINE ALL THOSE YEARS WHAT RICH ELITIST FAMILIES ESPECIALLY FOREIGNERS WILL NOT SEND THEIR KIDS TO DO YET THEY EXPLOIT, RAPE AND PLUNDER BELIZE.
DUTIED CITIZEN:I am 1 hundered percent in support of your statement.Belizeans we need to open our eyes my people.It’s time to stop every oppertunist from thinking that they can come to the Jewel to get their buffet.
WELL SAID DUTIED CITIZEN….WELL SAID….!! Now answer What a Crock, Answer to that…can you all say the same for the Homeless people all over America..? Before you use Christianity for your personal gain..?/
As a proud Belizean I agree totally with DUTIED CITIZEN.
We should stand up a show America that we have talent too, it’s the oppurtunity that we don’t have due to politcal affairs that cripples the growing infrastructure of the Jewel.