A Solution to the Barranco Logging Issue?
Barranco is the southernmost coastal village in Belize. Its name is often synonymous with two of Belize’s greatest musical artists, Andy Palacio and Paul Nabor, born and raised there. But the one hundred and fifty people who live there now aren’t musicians. Instead, they want access to logging permits and a foothold in Belize’s logging industry. News Five’s Andrea Polanco was in Barranco when the villagers met with the new minister who might just be able to help them help themselves.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
A quick walk through the village of Barranco transports you back decades. Without much economic activity, villagers largely depend on fishing, small scale farming and family remittances from abroad to sustain themselves. This once vibrant and colorful community feels forgotten:
Orlando Habet
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
“My first observation getting in is that the village proper needs a lot of help in terms of the development; the infrastructure is poor; there is clearly a need for more presence from the government and other institutions.”
Yet this community is not poor in resources. Literally in its own backyard, a multi-million dollar industry is booming. Trees are being cut down and turned into logs. But these resources don’t stay in the village, nor does the village benefit from the profits being extracted. In fact, Barranco residents say the village council is never consulted. They also claim most of the local applications for logging permits are rejected while those from outside get approved. Recently, the village council called for a meeting with Minister Orlando Habet of the Ministry of Sustainable Development. Dr. Francis Arzu of the Barranco Village Council did not mince words.
Francis Arzu
Dr. Francis Arzu, Secretary, Barranco Village Council
“I mentioned to the Minister, is it possible for the government of Belize put legislation in place so that no logs leave the Toledo district – so that what leaves the Toledo district is the finished product. Do you know how many people would get employed and how much money would stay in the Toledo district? Sometimes when you see these trucks going – they even take the bark of the tree, man. What if the bark would stay? What if the tree would stay? What if the logs would stay?”
Last year, only four villagers received permits. It’s not a new problem and this is not the first time villagers are speaking out. In 2018, a group traveled to Belmopan to demonstrate against what they characterize as injustice. Leslie Colon summed up the problem.
Leslie Colon
Leslie Colon, Barranco Villager [File: April 20th, 2018]
“We are looking at this as an economic source to make us could develop ourselves because the government no reach out to us, they no try to provide ways and means how we could – so we try amongst ourselves as people to try develop ourselves. We the take lick for years over twenty years now they are logging us out and no benefit for the community. The roads bad, the wharf, those places in shambles and we still no di see, still not getting nothing. The logs are going out, we need to benefit.”
But that public outcry didn’t change much and so now villagers hope that this latest meeting with Minister Orlando Habet will be the catalyst for change. Habet says the approach will indeed be different under his watch.
Orlando Habet
“We have to look closely on the issue and area of sustainable development because we need to have things done in a sustainable fashion and forestry is one of them. Giving logging concessions is purely extraction and so the new policy of the forestry department now under my ministry is that there has to be some type of reforestation. And when logging concessions and permits are given we have noticed that most of the benefits go out of the area where this logging happens and very little if any stays in those communities, point in case, Barranco. One of the requests they are making is that why take out the raw material and not give anything back? From their point of view, even if they don’t manage and get the entire use of the resources at least get something back but something substantial. The idea floated around and I think it is a very good idea, that whichever company comes in to do the logging why don’t you build a sawmill there? Why don’t you build a furniture factory there so that employment can happen in the same village where the extraction is taking place? Certainly my Ministry and I will be communicating the department and bring it to the cabinet so that we can see that favorably and assist villages like Barranco to get what they not only need, but what they deserve.”
Dr. Francis Arzu
“We just want that we be respected; we take ownership and that we too, here, the humble people of Barranco, be given permission to log and on the forefront – of course, keeping sustainability in mind.”
Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.
The Village Council presented Habet and C.E.O. Dr. Kenrick Williams with a draft of a “position paper” that outlines the way they want to see how natural resources are used – from land to the sea – to sustain the livelihoods of the people of Barranco.
