Ferguson says Ara Macao “might benefit” Placencia

One of the newly appointed Vice Presidents of the Belize National Commission for UNESCO is Minister of State in the Ministry of Education and Labour, Rodwell Ferguson. Today we took the opportunity to ask him about his position on Ara Macao, the controversial mass tourism project being proposed for the Placencia Peninsula.

Rodwell Ferguson, Area Representative, Stann Creek West
?Well, I must say initially my position as I look at it as a development for the Placencia community; the peninsula on a whole. But I believe the biggest opposition is the marina that the developers are proposing. While we might say we do not want the development, if you look at the peninsula itself, there is so much development going on and while some of them may say ?we do not what, we have not tampered with the environment.? If you had been to Placencia twenty-five years ago, you would have seen the difference back then and today. See if you combine all of these projects together, it might even be as big as the Ara Macao project.?

?While I understand the sentiments of the people around, yes, it is a development, but at the end of the day it might bring employment for them, it might benefit them. But the people need to be properly sensitized. So over the next couple of months I will speak with the people and see how we can work it out and at the same time it will be of benefit, not only to the peninsula but also to the government of Belize on a whole. As the elected representative, I say to myself ?I wonder if I should support the project because of political mileage or not,? but I look at it objectively and I see the benefits of it down the road.?

The proposed six hundred acre Ara Macao project will include a four hundred boat marina, four hundred fifty-eight condos, a two hundred sixty room hotel, a golf course, shops, restaurants, and a casino.