7 News Belize

SATIIM’s National Park Co-Management Agreement Cancelled
posted (July 23, 2013)
The SARSTOON-Temash Institute for Indigenous Management has been managing the park by the same name since 1997. In fact, the organization is largely defined by the work it does in the park and the adjoining communities; simply put, co-managing the park is its reason for existence. But now the forestry Department has formally cancelled that co-management agreement. In a letter dated 17th July, Forestry officially informed SATIIM that it was formally terminating the agreement and advised SATIIM that, quote, "it is no longer authorized to access the national park and that it is to refrain from undertaking any negotiation or related business associated with the park."

There's a long story behind it, but that's the bottom line – and today at a press conference in Punta Gorda town, SATIIM Executive Director Greg Ch'oc responded defiantly to the Forestry Department decision. He said he has written a volume of un-answered letters to the Forestry Minister.

Gregorio Choc - Executive Director, SATIM
"To Miss Lisel Alamilla - I am saddened that none of these letters have been responded to. We refused to be sidelined, after all and more importantly the Sarstoon-Temash National Park is not only a national park, it is also Maya customary land and so we will continue to manage the Sarstoon-Temash National Park on behalf of the indigenous people of the region. I want to tell the Forestry Department and the Government of Belize that SATIM will continue to manage and protect the National Park because it is our interest and the interest of the Belizean people. SATIM is not only protecting the park - but it is ensuring the territorial integrity of this country. The only thing I ask of the Government of Belize is to say 'thank you' to the people who have made that possible for this country; not a letter that says that 'we can no longer go inside the National Park."

Due to time constraints we could not reach any Forestry Department Officials, but the letter does note that SATIIM was first invited to sign the new co-management agreement in October of 2012, which was extended into a June 28, 2013 deadline. When that was note met, the co-management was formally terminated.

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