Ambergris Caye Citizens for Sustainable Development to Sue G.O.B. for Cayo Rosario Project

The Ambergris Caye Citizens for Sustainable Development is heading to court in respect of the proposed mega-tourism development on Cayo Rosario.  The group says that the Government of Belize, particularly the Department of Environment, has left them no choice, but to take legal action for the proposed development in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve which they say contravenes the provisions in the Environmental Act as well as other regulations. According to the group, consisting of fishermen and environmentalists as well as San Pedranos, D.O.E. has failed to respond to any of their requests for remedial action or to propose any solutions before the approval of the unsustainable tourism project. In recent correspondence, the group sought to meet with the authorities, but got no response.  Today, former Co-Chair and active member of ACCSD, Billy Leslie, told News Five that their attorney at Flores and Company Law Firm has been instructed to proceed with legal action against the government.

On the Phone: Billy Leslie, Former Co-Chair, ACCSD

“Majority of the San Pedro people are a little bit upset because the Department of the Environment is not seeing how sensitive these small islands are. In the past we have lobbied and fought for very hard to protect three species of fish: the bonefish, the tarpon and the permit. These fish have more economic value to be left alone and allowed to be caught and released by fly-fishing customers which is brining tremendous amount of money into this country. In 2015, after long, long lobbying with the help of the area representative, Minister of Tourism and our mayor along with the San Pedro tour Guide Association, the Ambergris Caye Citizens for Sustainable Development and countless numbers of other people, we managed to extend the Hol Chan Marine Reserve to include many bajos or shallow flats which are the habits to those specific three fish. Recently, the pressure of development—and not only development because we are not against development, we are against unsustainable development. By going to these islands back there, you will note that it is not land, they are mangrove marshes; they are not land and development is starting to happen on the habitat of those fish that are bringing countless number of dollars to this country.”