Seismic Testing Will Hurt Status of Barrier Reef as World Heritage Site

Amanda Burgos-Acosta

Earlier in the newscast, we heard about G.O.B.’s proposed seismic testing that has been put on hold following the tourism industry and conservation community’s uproar.  On Wednesday, the Coalition told the media that the proposed seismic testing also means bad business in getting the Belize Barrier Reef System off the World Heritage Endangered list. Back in July, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided to keep Belize on the list due to the continued threats from oil exploration, damaging coastal construction and pollution.

Amanda Burgos-Acosta, Executive Director, Belize Audubon Society

“The World Heritage Site is a pending issue. We have not gotten off the endangered list and we need to see how we want to proceed on that. I think there is a lot of policy left to address when it comes to the World Heritage, and we have been actively working on that end. I think this is an added monkey wrench to that entire process.  We will not be seen as serious because we are contradicting a very statement we made less than a year ago. Because you said there was a ban, but all indications are showing that you are still interested in oil.”