7 News Belize

NEAC Approved NCL? BTIA Wants Decision Recalled
posted (April 2, 2014)

The last time we reported on the Norwegian Cruise Lines Project for southern Belize, it was to update you that the company had handed over an addendum to their failed EIA, which their opponents suggested was a negative step.

Well, tonight, there are reports that the NEAC has since met on the project, and that they gave the environmental green light 5 weeks ago. That has prompted the Belize Tourism Industry Association to voice its concern.

Last week Friday, their attorney, Godfrey Smith, wrote a letter to Chief Environmental Officer Martin Alegria, who is also Chairman of the National Environmental Appraisal Committee.  The letter demands that NEAC reverse the approval of NCL's project and to put it to a public hearing.

The 3 page letter outlines a laundry lists of faults and fouls of the environmental laws, and calls NEAC's approval irresponsible. BTIA says quote, "the great haste and secrecy with which this matter was approved suggests an intention of the part of NEAC and DOE to pay lip service to the environmental laws and regulations of Belize"

The letter to Allegria ends ominously, insisting that he must respond within 2 weeks, and if he doesn't, it will be interpreted as DOE and NEAC intending to remain quite. BTIA will has promised that at that time, they will commence judicial review proceedings in the Supreme Court in relation to the decisions of DOE and NEAC.

Today, 7News contacted Martin Allegria for comment but he told us that there is now a standing order within his ministry that he must get permission from his superiors to address the media, or else he cannot comment. We made several attempts to try to reach those superiors, but our calls went unanswered.

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