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Junior Heredia Has a “Plan B” For “Zone F”
posted (September 24, 2014)
A week ago, we told you about the land and conservation dispute on San Pedro. The issue involved a housing project, which the Area Representative Manuel Junior Heredia intended to put in an area set aside as a Wetland Reserve, one which was never formally recognized by the Government. As we told you, this wetland area, which features mangrove forests and a sprawling lagoon, was supposed to be part of Zone F expansion for the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. The plans were drafted up, and funding was already secured, but, supposedly because of Government red tape, the reserve was never signed into law by a statutory instrument. The environmentalists who have been following the project closely soon unearthed a planned housing area in part of the wetland reserve known as Sunset Cove. A survey was already commissioned, and the lagoon was parceled off, but the environmentalists sounded the alarm. Soon after, when we spoke with Heredia, he told us that he was rethinking the plan to put the housing project in that area. We didn't get a chance to ask all our questions because he was minutes away from boarding the last flight to San Pedro last week Tuesday evening. So, today, when we caught up with him at another event, we took the opportunity to continue to the conversation. He told us last week that he had not yet visited the area he planned to turn into a housing project. So, we asked him why hadn't, given that the critics of this project says that it is a highly unsuitable location given that the supposed lots were submerged under 3 feet of water. Here's what he told us:

Daniel Ortiz

"Why exactly didn't you visit the area before so that you can tell if the location is appropriate or not? Because it is under water."

Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr. - Area Representative, Belize Rural South

"The mapping section in natural resources will usually show the layout of what you will do. And just like the camera shows in google and we agreed that anything that is above normal will be removed and I said to you all in San Pedro. As soon as we decide what will be done or if we will do it any at all, then we will decide what can be given and what cannot be given."

Daniel Ortiz

"There was the concern that this particular location will become another San Matio because it is inappropriate because of the water in the area. You as a minister, would you not want to choose locations that are higher up, higher land that is more appropriate for housing?"

Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr.

"If there was anything better in anywhere to be given, definitely it would happen. But let me tell you, where I live is right downtown now, you know what that was before? Swamp, where they use to throw garbage and anything. Most of the area from Boca Del Rio, all the way to San Pablo area, that was land that was worst then over there and it today it has become a community. It might not be suitable, but there are two ways to go, either you go up or you spread around. San Pedro for some reason believe that we do not want higher rise in San Pedro. What we want is cap it at a certain height and I said that anything is possible as long as you do it right."

"On the record, There is nobody that can say that Mr. Heredia has done anything that is in the interest of our people. Even after the media has commented, people have still been commenting, minister don't worry about what they say, what we want is a place to stay. But I do believe, that as a former fisherman and as a person who loves the environment, I have been involved in a lot environmental thing that has been done on the island. One, Hol Chan Marine Reserver, which is the best on the island and Bacalarchico was a part of that. In this same initiative about the other expansion of Hol Chan, I was a pioneer into that. Before that most of the shores was a nesting for boats, I was the one with approval of cabinet had that taken back and now we want to make sure it is conserved. "

Heredia told us that Cabinet has to sign off on his Plan B, which he refuses to discuss with the media this time since it is in its infancy.

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