US Capital Energy concludes prospecting activities in the South; is there potential controversy?
There is potential controversy in the south where prospecting activities conducted by U.S. Capital Energy within the Sarstoon Temash National Park concluded earlier this year. The results of an environmental impact assessment will be discussed openly during consultations scheduled for later this month. But while plans are underway to meet with residents of various communities within the park, the Sarstoon Temash Institute of Indigenous Management (SATIIM) says it was unaware that U.S. Capital Energy was conducting an EIA for exploratory drilling. In a letter written to Chief Environmental Officer Martin Alegria, SATIIM’s executive director Greg Ch’oc expressed discontent since his organization co-manages the park, but was not advised of the EIA. Additionally, SATIIM along with an alliance of seven community leaders is requesting that the upcoming consultation be postponed until November twenty-second since the Maya communities have not seen the report, which they would want translated in ketchi.
I think we need a moratorium on drilling until there is a new election or new, transparent laws about EIAs and how contracts are negotiated and awarded. Oceana’s case seems to have uncovered too much monkey business to proceed with new contracts and drilling until the air is clear. With every public contract, we need to know whose hands are in the cookie jar, and how many cookies they are snatching.
Drilling for oil again? We ( the Belizean People) still nuh mek no money yet pon di drilling they are doing now! The only people making money are the attornerys, oil company executives, corrupt board members and ministers etc…not the PEOPLE or COUNTRY of BZE.
Belize has not benefited from this so called oil drilling. If no returns ( profits) have been made and no results of this is being seen by the people of Belize, it should not be continued. All that is occurring is damage to the natural environment and making it unhealthy and unusable which in turn will lead to health problems. Belize already has a bad health care system and causing overload of that will only make the situation worse!