After illegal dredging in caye, first developer made $1 Million

According to Melanie McField after the previous permits were scrutinized, dredging was illegal and no charges were issued against the first developer who made over a million dollars in selling his stake on the island.

Jose Sanchez

“A lot of what was done in regards to dredging and removal of mangroves was illegal. Were there any charges pressed against anyone for it?

Dr. Melanie McField, Director, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People

Melanie McField

No, we never heard of any charges being pressed. I know the government was looking into that back in 2008 and we’ve got copies of all the permits that were issued, there was no mangrove permits issued and clearly the mangroves have been cut. You can where they have been cut and you’ve got the before and after pictures. So there were definitely grounds to do serious charges against them. But instead it seems like the person that owned the land was just able to sell it in 2008 to someone else who now has bought it and they kinda claim having a clean slate—they’re not the ones that did all the damages.”

Jose Sanchez

“So this person made a million dollars plus profit.”

Dr. Melanie McField

“One point one million I think was the conveyance, we have a copy of the conveyance.”

Jose Sanchez

“I know the last time we spoke to Mark Patry, the UNESCO Representative. He spoke of the importance of the area, the biodiversity and also the need for government to show some sort of commitment to protect the area to keep its status. So you are shocked.”

Dr. Melanie McField

“Yeah, we really didn’t see this coming. I mean we have—I’ll read you from page nineteen of the government’s report  to UNESCO and I think this is really what the broader arm of the Ministry of Natural resources was looking at this and said; “the Government of Belize and its partners will continue to monitor new development in privately held areas within the World Heritage Site. There are no planned development activities within areas that comprise state owned areas including protected areas. Sight level infrastructural developments in protected areas are strictly regulated, however, none are envisioned.” The fact that that was written, this was sent in on February and also in February this E.I.A. is lodged—a four hundred page document and we’re given two weeks to read it, respond to it and yesterday was the deadline to get our comments in. So, you its kinda like, I feel like; oh gosh we are back to business as usual where there is this confusion. The D.O.E. is doing this, the ministry is saying something else to UNESCO.”

Jose Sanchez

“Somebody is not being honest.”

Dr. Melanie McField

“Well yeah. Or the right arm is not talking to the left arm and that often happens. So I don’t know. We don’t have a seat, there is a couple N.G.O. seats on NEAC, but they haven’t been publishing minutes anymore of the meetings. So it is a little difficult to get information. I don’t know if they plan to make a decision tomorrow or just to discuss it tomorrow.”

The Yum Balisi resort will house up to seventy visitors and forty staff members. We will have more on this story in Wednesday’s newscast.