City Council vetoes Gegg’s marina project
We’re not sure if they’re going to have a victory party, but the residents of West Landivar have something to celebrate tonight because they have triumphed in their efforts to quash a project proposal by local developer David Gegg. The businessman had expressed his intention to construct a marina, restaurant, and office complex on his seafront property in the area, but his neighbours quickly banded together to block his plans. News Five’s Janelle Chanona reports.
Zenaida Moya, Belize City Mayor
“We welcome business development but we also have to try and strike a balance when it comes to the residents.”
Following a meeting of the Belize City Trade Licensing Board, this morning Mayor Zenaida Moya explained why David Gegg’s marina project in West Landivar was rejected.
Zenaida Moya
“We were of the view that it was only going to be a little marina. We did not know about the condos and so forth. With all fairness to the board we did not know about those stuff. We knew also though of the fuel, the little, the fuel station we knew of that and the marina, and the boat place but we did of the other structures at least as came from the presentation that was given.”
“We also looked at the fact that the Department of the Environment did not give approval for the project as is the current project proposal for the fifty-six boat slip and you know the different things.”
“And because we saw over two hundred residents literally going out there and we also got petitions from them, we felt that it won’t be in the best interest of either parties to currently go ahead and grant any approval at this time.”
According to the Mayor, Gegg can challenge the decision in the courts but her advice would be to scale down the project, conduct an official Environmental Impact Assessment and get the residents on his side.
Zenaida Moya
“If he can do that and the residents go ahead and say okay, now we can deal with it, then the trade license board would be willing to sit again, meet and look at the proposal once again.”
Prior to rejecting the proposal, the Belize City Council held a public forum in Dolphin Park, located adjacent to the project site. From the start of the meeting, the West Landivar community made it clear they were against the idea.
Moya maintains Belize City residents who have similar objections to projects or businesses in their neighbourhood should do their homework and launch organized opposition.
Zenaida Moya
“If they feel strongly about something, then they have to also participate in the process. We know authorities are there to deal with the situation but sometimes it helps when there’s public participation and in some instances, where it is needed, public pressure to do certain things. I must say again, West Landivar residents did that. This board probably, if we hadn’t consulted with them, you know, there’s a possibility this board could have gone ahead and supported it because it is a business development.”
Despite requests for an interview, our attempts to have David Gegg respond to the board’s rejection were unsuccessful. Janelle Chanona reporting for News Five.
