And while Harvest Caye and Puerto Azul are tourism's old news, today PUP Senator Valerie Woods, uncovered something new with a tourism mega-project that's been kind of off the radar. That's Caye Chapel where much has been promised, but little delivered so far. But it seems the owners of the project want to do what's called a "beach creation." That's a beach club and sales center and the creation of a beach area measuring 985 feet long by 98 feet wide. The thing is, it's gotten clearance from the Department of the Environment, without the completion of an Environmental Impact Assessment. Today, speaking on the adjournment Senator Woods outlined what she characterized as a pronounced irregularity:
Hon. Valerie Woods, PUP Senator
"Not too long ago in December, there was environmental clearance given for the portion of a development on Caye Chapel and I'm concerned about it, because our regulations are clear and if we are going to grant clearance to a portion of a larger development that has not yet gone through that process - but it was issued when EIA process really has not even been vetted or if you will, when it hasn't even been brought before the NEAC on the larger portion of the project. So, I am concerned as so many others when they see things like this happening."
"So on December 23rd the chief environmental officer by way of letter approved this. It's for a temporary beach club and sales center, but it is to develop the beach area and it is only part of that larger mega development on that island. And just to put some context briefly, it was back in 2014 regarding the same natural resource, that same island that CEO Michael Singh then in BELTRAIDE quite accurately stated to those developers in writing that EIA needs to be done. It provides meaningful livelihood for a lot of fisher folk and so when we talk about anything regarding beach around that area that will invite dredging, one has to be concerned for those fisher folk at least if nothing else if they were so consulted about it which is what the EIA provides for. There are people out there who will feel it if dredging commences, because clearance was given for the portion of a project."
Woods also referred to a 2014 letter from the then Investment CEO Mike Singh stating that the project and its components must be submitted for environmental clearance.
Email
Print