SATIIM will stop oil company E.I.A. contractors

And while the Musa administration faces a legal and public relations battle over the Supreme Court action, on the ground in Toledo another group is threatening action to enforce what it claims are its rights over oil exploration in the Sarstoon Temash National Park. According to Maya activist Greg Ch’oc his people will not allow into the park contractors hired by the oil company to do an environmental impact assessment, until the proper consultations have been made.

Greg Ch’oc, Executive Director, SATIM
“As far as we are concerned, the process that we have established with the government is to seek resolution to those concerns, both in the Supreme Court and as part of our co-management of the park. So far my understanding is that US Capital Energy Consultant will go in the park and I have been mobilizing the community to make them aware and today the majority of the leaders and the community from those five villages are here. And they have agreed that they will support SATIM to physically block agents of US Capital Energy from going in.”

Kendra Griffith
“When are they supposed to go in?”

Greg Ch’oc
“Well, over the weekend while I was out one of the E.I.A. developers – I understand the Mr. Jose “Pepe” Garcia got the contract and he in turn sub-contracted Mr. Allan Herrera – they went into the park without our knowledge and I have reported this to the ministry. Whether it is resolved or not, certainly we have witness and they chartered a boat from Barranco to go inside the park. When we have told them that they need to check with the office they refuse to that, they went into the park without our knowledge, without our consent which is one evident that these people are not willing to compromise and reach an agreement with how to work together for the best interest of the communities, of the company and the people at large.”