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Tom Greenwood, the former President of FECTAB, is now the Public Relations Consultants for the Feinstein Group, the developer for Port Coral. And it is with Port Coral that FECTAB has signed a twenty five years agreement. When Greenwood spoke at this morning’s press conference, portions of his presentation did in fact sound like a […]
Written on October 25, 2021 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on Greenwood Calls Advocating for Both Sides “Double Insurance”
Following the press conference, the NGO Coalition provided us with a timeline of the Stake Bank causeway. According to the coalition’s reports, an ECP was granted to Stake Bank in 2013, with approval for the causeways. They found, however, that the 2013 ECP approval was valid for only one year. They also noted that approval […]
Written on October 25, 2021 | Posted in
Economy,
Environment |
Comments Off on NGO Coalition Responds with Stake Bank Timeline
Questions have been raised since the Prime Minister announced that his latest trip to Mexico entailed a discussion with Mexican authorities about the possibility of building a bridge to link Ambergris Caye with Mexico. Some conservationists are concerned over the impact such a project could potentially have on the Bachalar Chico Marine Reserve, located at […]
Written on October 22, 2021 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on Oceana Speaks Out on Proposed Bridge to Mexico
The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is quickly approaching, and OCEANA Belize is looking forward to the event. The event is scheduled for the thirty first of October to the twelfth of November. We asked Carnegie what OCEANA expects will be the priority issues for Belize. Alyssa Carnegie, Communications […]
Written on October 22, 2021 | Posted in
Environment,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Oceana looks forward to COP26
CEMO has been activated and continues to monitor the flood conditions going into tonight as it is expected that the rains will continue. On Wednesday and again today, CEMO Liaison Officer at the Belize City Council Melony Dawson, the City Engineer, and a field officer went into flood prone areas after receiving multiple calls of […]
Written on October 21, 2021 | Posted in
Disasters,
Environment,
Featured |
Comments Off on CEMO Activated and Monitoring Flood Conditions in Belize City
The economic value of land, particularly in the context of the sale of prime properties in coastal communities such as Hopkins and Seine Bight, was also part of the panel discussion. Dr. Philip Castillo, a development economist, weighed in on the issue from the perspective of the National Garifuna Council assisting elder land owners, those […]
Written on October 21, 2021 | Posted in
Economy,
Environment,
Featured,
People & Places |
Comments Off on The Economic Value of Land
Oceana Belize has issued its State of Belize Fisheries Report for 2020, highlighting the fact that Belize’s fisheries are at risk. Popular species such as the Goliath grouper have become virtually extinct and spawning aggregations, once populated by tens of thousands of snappers and groupers, are also all but gone. COVID-19’s economic impact on Belize’s […]
Written on October 21, 2021 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on State of Belize’s Fisheries in 2020
If you are in Belize City, you are probably wondering when we will get a break from the heavy rains and what is causing it all. Today news five was out surveying the scene from downtown Belize City to Belama. We found many streets inundated and impassable for smaller vehicles as water levels rose. But […]
Written on October 20, 2021 | Posted in
Disasters,
Environment,
Featured |
Comments Off on Flood Watch in Belize City
As we head closer to the end of the hurricane season, as predicted, it was an above average season. A little less than a month and a half is left before the season ends, but there have been twenty named storms, seven of which became hurricanes and four were considered major storms. Now, since the […]
Written on October 20, 2021 | Posted in
Environment,
Featured |
Comments Off on Chief Meteorologist to Residents: “Remain Alert”
On November first, Prime Minister John Briceño will be attending the World Leaders Summit at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland. The United National Climate Change Conference brings together government officials to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, signed back in 2016 and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The goal is to […]
Written on October 19, 2021 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on PM Briceño’s Statement on Climate Change at UN General Assembly
When pressed on whether environmentalists might not welcome the idea of having a bridge that connects Ambergris Caye to the Yucatan, the PM said the impact on the environment would be minimal. Prime Minister John Briceno “There’s this theory that Ambergris Caye was connected to the peninsula. But, there is this theory that the […]
Written on October 13, 2021 | Posted in
Environment,
Featured |
Comments Off on PM Says Bridge from Ambergris Caye Would Have Minimal Environmental Impact
We recently reported on the public consultation that was held by the developers of the Port of Belize Expansion Project. The Department of the Environment also participated. One of the main takeaways was that the developers have decided to abandon their initial plan to dump some seven million cubic meters of silt into the ocean […]
Written on October 12, 2021 | Posted in
Environment,
Featured,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on C.E.O. of P.B.L. Discusses “Near Shore” Location for Dredged Silt
Environmental clearance is one of the first steps that must be done for any proposed development in Belize. The National Environmental Appraisal Committee is responsible for giving that green light. This then allows for requisite permits, approvals and licenses to be issued. Today, Chief Environmental Officer Martin Alegria held a virtual press conference in wake […]
Written on October 12, 2021 | Posted in
Environment,
Featured |
Comments Off on DOE: Causeway Was Approved
According to Alegria, a public consultation was held and taken into consideration for the causeway. He speaks to the concerns and what was agreed to. Martin Alegria, Chief Environmental Officer “We refer to one as Stake Bank Project and the North Drowned Caye Project. Back in 2006, both projects were treated separately and so […]
Written on October 12, 2021 | Posted in
Environment,
Featured |
Comments Off on Causeways Were Approved After Consultation
Chief Environmental Officer Martin Alegria gave his professional advice on the causeway and spoke of what was agreed to in order for the ECP to be approved. He says that from an environmental mitigation perspective, he believes the potential negative impact of causeways was the same for both projects at North Drowned Caye and Stake […]
Written on October 12, 2021 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on Details of Approved Causeway Shared by DOE
A video circulating on social media shows brown water being pumped off a beach and into the sea in Seine Bight Village. The resident who posted the video is heard voicing her concerns about it being dumped in an area where children are swimming. New Five spoke to the chairman of the village, Jose Aleman, […]
Written on October 12, 2021 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on Video of Brown Water Investigated in Seine Bight
W hen we spoke to Chief Environmental Officer Martin Alegria this evening, he informed us that D.O.E. is looking into the matter. Martin Alegria, Chief Environmental Officer “I saw it yesterday, I think it was published and I asked my staff to please let’s see what it is. If it is something that is […]
Written on October 12, 2021 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on DOE Investigating Seine Bight Video of Brown Water
We also asked Chairman Aleman if the village council has a position on the proposed gas station development. As we reported, representatives of two groups, the Garifuna Nation and the National Garifuna Council, are calling for the Government of Belize to have developers of the gas station halt its operations. Those opposing claim that the […]
Written on October 12, 2021 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on Seine Bight Chairman Says People Support Gas Station
Chief Environmental Officer Martin Alegria also commented on the proposed gas station development. According to Alegria, D.O.E. conducted site visits along with the Fire Department. And, at the end of the process, the developers satisfied them that all requirements for the building of a gas station were being met. Martin Alegria, Chief Environmental Officer […]
Written on October 12, 2021 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on DOE Says Gas Station Will Have Additional Safeguards
Our Forest, Our Future – it’s the basis of the work of REDD+ in Belize. REDD+ aims to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation while fostering conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancing of forest carbon stocks. It was established under the National Climate Change Office, with support from the World Bank. Data currently […]
Written on October 8, 2021 | Posted in
Environment,
Featured |
Comments Off on Phase 1 of the REDD+ Belize Project Comes to a Close
But the closure of the first phase means the beginning of the country’s strategic plan to becoming a climate change resilient nation. And the result of the years of work has helped with the establishment of Belize’s new nationally determined contributions. There is still more to be done as the country transitions into the implementation […]
Written on October 8, 2021 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on The Launch of a Draft REDD+ Strategy Plan
Kiefer Mes is heading to COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland. You remember Kiefer? Last month, we aired a story about this seventeen-year-old environmental activist from southern Belize who needed help to get to the Sixteenth United Nations Climate Change Conference of Youths at the end of October. Well, his story caught the attention of the people […]
Written on October 8, 2021 | Posted in
Environment,
People & Places,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Kiefer Mes is Heading to COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland
Jamal Galves, popularly known in Belize as “Manatee Man,” is the recipient of the 2021 WCS Christensen Conservation Leaders Scholarship. Galves, whose career as a conservationist began when he was only eleven years old, is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Coastal Science and Policy at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Nicole Auil Gomez nominated […]
Written on October 8, 2021 | Posted in
Education,
Environment |
Comments Off on “Manatee Man” Gets Graduate Scholarship
A number of non-governmental agencies are up in arms over two causeways related to the Stake Bank/Port Coral/Ocean View Grand cruise project which have reportedly been “approved.” If this is the case, they want the causeway work stopped until there can be public consultations. The organizations, which include Oceana, the Belize Audubon Society, the Mar […]
Written on October 7, 2021 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on “Stop Work!” NGO’s Want to Halt Stake Bank Causeway
The United Democratic Party also weighed in on the proposed Stake Bank Causeway project. This afternoon the party issued a release saying under the previous administration the only port -related project which received environmental clearance limits development to Stake Bank Caye itself. They say there was never any permission given for the construction of a […]
Written on October 7, 2021 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on UDP Says Causeway Did Not Get Approval on Their Watch
