Protestors clash over Chalillo project
It’s an issue that has been bubbling for several years, but as the decision on building the Chalillo dam gets closer, those for and against the project are racheting up the rhetoric. Today both sides took to the streets of the nation’s capital.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
While one side chanted for Chalillo, the other side damned the dam. It was to be the meeting of the mobs this morning in Belmopan as demonstrators for and against the Chalillo dam took to the streets. Supporters for the dam maintain that “eco-emotions” have blurred the real issue at hand.
Anthony Chanona, Mayor, Belmopan
“I would agree that for too long, on both sides of the fence, the Chalillo debate has gone on as an emotional debate. And it really should be a technical debate and the fact that Mollejon needs to have a retention dam. I hope that this demonstration today is going to again augment towards that point.”
Sandra Wragg, Demonstrator
“Yes it’s going to cause problems, we’re going to disrupt lives, wildlife, but prosperity, we have to go ahead. We have to do this for the simple reason that it’s about time that Belize is able to sustain itself. So let’s go for this Chalillo dam.”
Evaristo Avella, Demonstrator
“Any development has to create impacts and that is unavoidable, there are certain things that cannot be mitigated. It is how you weigh what you value most and what you want most. Whether you want to destroy a little bit of the environment so you can develop and move ahead and secure long term source of energy that is tabled within the country.”
Herman Sebastian, Demonstrator
“They say that once Chalillo is built with the dam, you use less diesel, you no haf to use diesel, so the bill with have to be cheaper.”
Janelle Chanona
“So you are trusting B.E.L.?”
Herman Sebastian
“Sure do.”
Further down the ring road, the Belize Alliance of Conservation NGOs, (BACONGO) was pitching a very different argument to their hard core supporters.
Jamillah Vasquez, Executive Director, BACONGO
“Truth is Chalillo will not work, bottomline. We are in support of Bagasse, it’s a local product, why not keep it at home. Why not keep the money at home. Why not keep ten thousand people employed, the cane farmers”
Janelle Chanona
“News 5 was made to understand that the bagasse company would only be up to twenty-five percent owned by Belizeans. Is that true?”
Jamillah Vasquez
“I wouldn’t know that. I wouldn’t have the answer to that, we would have to check with our consultants. I wouldn’t have a response to that question.
Contrary to what people think, they think that this demonstration is coming from foreign companies, which is not true. This is Belize oriented and we feel that this is time for us to get out and speak on behalf of the people. Government has been pushing for the dam project to go forward and we feel like this is a strategic plan, to set down our foot, right.”
Sharon Matola
“They lie. It is in the papers, it’s just a bunch of Americans down there who think the whole country of Belize is a national park. That’s not true. We’re not against development, we’re not against sustainable development.
We see this as probably the most serious issue facing this country. It would change the face of Belize. It certainly wouldn’t make the economic situation any better. The environmental situation would worsen, so I think it’s important to prioritise our focus. Right now, this is coming to a volatile term because Fortis, those Canadians, want to start construction in January, and we’re saying hey, let’s see what we need to get all the information available before we proceed. We want the best thing for Belize.”
Wilfredo Novelo, Demonstrator
“Hundreds of thousands of tons a week we use to generate twenty-five megawatts of electricity. Chalillo is only sixteen megawatts right? We have ten thousand cane farmers that can benefit and could generate, whereas only sixteen families would benefit from Chalillo. The difference is clear, simple economic sense.”
Robert Lopez, Demonstrator
“Mollejon is a lie because electricity still high. Chalillo is going to be another big lie and then we’ll really cry. So I feel that there are other alternatives. The sun is free, they’re talking about the water free, the sun is free also, so is the wind, so is the bagasse. All those things are free for us to further look into.”
Fahima Barnett, Demonstrator
“My people are misinformed. Belize people don’t know. If the politicians keeping the people hungry and feeding them crumbs, well damn you gonna fight for the damn crumbs cause you ain’t see nothing else. So people are ignorant to information and they don’t know the damages of a dam, what can happen, what all can go wrong.”
What can also go wrong is that when you bring out a rent-a-crowd you can’t always count on clarity.
Janelle Chanona
“Why should Chalillo be built?”
Ann Taibo, Demonstrator
“Whe you think, Chalillo no built good enough? And Chalillo could be built more. How long since they have the Chalillo dam?”
Janelle Chanona
“They no build it yet.”
Ann Taibo
“They no build it yet?”
Janelle Chanona
“No, Mollejon done build.”
Ann Taibo
“And what da the difference between Chalillo and the Mollejon whe deh talk about?”
Demonstrator
“We are supporting save the dam, save the Macal River.”
Janelle Chanona
“Why do you think it’s important that Chalillo not be built?”
Demonstrator
“Because it will pollute the air for many of the south people, the western side, and I think they use the river a lot, the Belizean people.”
When the demonstrators finally met face to face, a shouting match ensued.
With strong Government support for Chalillo and equally determined environmentalists opposing the dam, eco-emotions on both sides will continue to run high. Reporting for News 5, I am Janelle Chanona.
Implementation of the project awaits final approval by Government’s National Environmental Assessment Committee.
