| GOB Waives Expiration On US Capital Exploration License |
| Fri, April 25, 2014 |
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| Hostilities remain high in the Toledo District between SATIIM and US Capital Energy. That's because government has informed SATIIM that it will waive the expiration date on the oil company's exploration permit. That was supposed to expire on April 30th, but now it has been rolled over with no fixed date of expiry. SATIIM says that's in defiance of the judgment of the Supreme Court - but government is sticking by its interpretation, that the judgment only affects future permits, not the existing one issued to US Capital. The Prime Minister explained today:..
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"The Attorney General's advice that Madam Justice Arana's refusal to actually strike down the permits means that the activities can continue. So that is the stance of the government. Now I understand that a new application has been filed, is it Satiim, is it Maya Leader Alliance - with the claimants to try and get an injunction to stop the continuation of the activities. Unless that application succeeds, those activities will continue."
"We are indicating to the other side that we are waiving the expiration date of the permit - we are not renewing it because to renew it is final and we are waiving the expiration date to give us a chance to consult with the people. But we make the point that we do not and cannot concede what we consider under the judgment our right to allow US Capital Energy to continue with the activities that as a judge pointed out, activities that have already cost over 20 million US dollars and that in our view the judge mandated ought to continue."
Next week the Prime Minister will meet with the leaders of Sundaywood village which Government believes is the only community directly affected by the exploration. Sundaywood's leaders are believed to be sympathetic to US Capital energy. SATIIM maintains that all claimant communities, Conejo, Crique Carco, Graham Creek and Midway must be consulted in line with the Supreme Court ruling.
SATIIM has filed an application for an injunction to restrain the Government of Belize from extending US Capital Energy's permit to enter the Sarstoon Temash National Park.
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