G.O.B. Responds to Concerns about Chiquibul Headwaters

The Government of Belize has responded to concerns raised this week by the Friends for Conservation and Development and their call for an immediate halt of mining operations in the Chiquibul. The F.C.D. asserts that these continue to threaten the headwaters in the area.  Today, the Ministries of Sustainable Development and Natural Resources issued a statement saying that a joint inspection was carried out of the area in June.  This included government personnel, the F.C.D. and Boiton Minerals Limited.  According to the release, the site visit revealed that several conditions of the Environmental Compliance Plan were not being met.  The government says it asked B.M.L. to rectify the issues identified and has held follow-up meetings to bring the company back into compliance.  G.O.B. says they, “take this non-compliance seriously and will be applying the appropriate penalties and fines for these infractions.”  They also said that reports of illegal settlements, farming, mining, and development within the Chiquibul Forest persist, and that government continues to take steps to address the long-standing threats and conflicts in the Maya Mountain Massif.