E.I.A. completed for new cruise port

A few years back it was a topic of major controversy but the issue of a new cruise terminal on Belize City’s south side has receded in the public consciousness as numerous promises of construction activity have failed to materialise. That may be changing however as some of the regulatory hurdles facing the project are overcome. One is the production of an environmental impact assessment required by the Department of the Environment. That study has now been completed and made available for comments. According to a public notice, the E.I.A. is available at the Fisheries Department, Port Authority, Audubon Society, the Leo Bradley Library and Port Loyola Library on Central American Boulevard. Or just go to the Ministry of Natural Resources website: www.mnrei.gov.bz. According to the cruise port’s lead investor Luke Espat, based on government’s meeting its various commitments, he expects the partially completed project to land its first ship in December of 2007. Within a year the facility should be complete with four berths, hotel, shops and numerous other amenities. At present a dike around the port area has been completed with the dredging of a channel and basin to be the next step … presumably after acceptance of the E.I.A. and negotiation of an environmental compliance plan.