Last night we told you about the renewed drive by the conservation and tourism organizations, including OCEANA, the BTIA, the Belize Audubon Society, APAMO and others to block the Puerto Azul project.
Today, the media asked Tourism Minister Junior Heredia about it – and he said that government cannot dismiss the project out of hand because it could create jobs:
Hon. Manuel Herredia Jr. - Minister of Tourism
"At this point it is premature or to be making second guesses to what will happen and what not. As a fisherman, 30 years fisherman, I use to fish that area; I think I know that area better than any other NGO and loving the reef which was my life. Anything that would destroy my reef will destroy the tourism industry; I will not be for that and for that reason I must wait for everything to be completed They will analyse if it is possible or not. What I cannot accept that once you have a project before it even starts there is this negativity, let us stand up as Belizeans, look at what we have, and see how best we can use it and then move ahead."
Reporter
"Are you concerned that a joint operation, a joint coordination between these environmental NGOs and other association will succeed in preventing this project from ever happening?"
Hon. Manuel Herredia Jr. - Minister of Tourism
"Well I cannot speak for what will happen later on but I say we will go through process. At the end of the day with the technical people, because remember when they go for their environmental assessment they are a representative from a lot of these people and at the end of the day it will be the decision of the majority; But as a government also, we have responsibility to the entire nation to all the residence of the nation and we have to look into their interest."
The conservation and tourism groups have called the Puerto Azul plan "environmental arrogance", "Disney-esque and "a scar on a sacred place" – referring to the lighthouse reef atoll.
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