<p><strong><a rel="nofollow" class="highslide" target="_blank" href="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Puerto-Azul00011.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-101760" title="Puerto Azul0001" src="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Puerto-Azul00011-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225"/></a>There are still more questions than answers where the Puerto Azul mega-tourism project is concerned. Government has maintained that it can’t provide much information because the concept is still in a very preliminary phase; it is fluid and is yet to get a green light. But concern over the project is not going away, and has prompted reaction from a coalition of tourism and environmental entities including OCEANA, the B.T.I.A. and the Belize Audubon Society. The coalition has sought more concrete details from G.O.B., but with no success. And in the wake of information that the developers have received a terms of reference for an EIA, the group issued a joint release today. Their opposition to the project, they say, is primarily based on its massive scale in an undeveloped area.</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Amanda Burgos, Executive Director, Belize Audubon Society</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_101761" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width:160px;"><a rel="nofollow" class="highslide" target="_blank" href="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Amanda-Burgos.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-101761" title="Amanda Burgos" src="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Amanda-Burgos-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Amanda Burgos</p></div>
<p><em>“The project is in process. That’s the best way to put it. As far as we have gotten all indications yes they do have a terms of reference for an EIA. They have proceeded with all the studies and all of the analysis they need to compile that document. Obviously the terms of reference of the EIA will outline exactly what information they have to compile…be it oceanographic or dealing with solid waste – it will outline all of those technical issues and questions that we have had. Hopefully all of that is being compiled right now. From what I have been told and all indications are that there are elements that are desired, for instance a marina and a certain amount of villas are being required as per the developer’s needs. However the concept is apparently living, however the question is to the scale – the question has always been a matter of scale. We have had concerns as to – is this the location for a citadel or even an event? I think there was reference to special events being hosted that have a degree of infrastructure that will be needed. The reality of that location I think from the aerial and even from the maps they’re saying is roughly twelve hundred acres…but from all indications and documents I have read only about two hundred and thirty acres of it is solid land…the rest is wash-over mangrove so the question is can you really achieve what they are desiring on the parcel of land that they are in process of buying? We really want to keep it in the present. We want it to be in the conscious mind of Belizeans. We want them to know what is happening in the country. We have gone on several times and my colleague Miss Chanona has gone on the books basically to say that it is a national issue and we have to keep it in the national forum. People need to be aware of what is happening and the realities of what our system is facing.”</em></p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" class="highslide" target="_blank" href="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Puerto-Azul0002.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-101762" title="Puerto Azul0002" src="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Puerto-Azul0002-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150"/></a></p>
<p><strong>There is also growing opposition based on the fact that Lighthouse Reef is home to the Blue Hole and the Halfmoon Caye natural monuments, both World Heritage Sites, and the development would likely have a severe impact on those sites.</strong></p>
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<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Amanda Burgos, Executive Director, Belize Audubon Society</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_101761" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width:160px;"><a rel="nofollow" class="highslide" target="_blank" href="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Amanda-Burgos.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-101761" title="Amanda Burgos" src="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Amanda-Burgos-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Amanda Burgos</p></div>
<p><em>“The project is in process. That’s the best way to put it. As far as we have gotten all indications yes they do have a terms of reference for an EIA. They have proceeded with all the studies and all of the analysis they need to compile that document. Obviously the terms of reference of the EIA will outline exactly what information they have to compile…be it oceanographic or dealing with solid waste – it will outline all of those technical issues and questions that we have had. Hopefully all of that is being compiled right now. From what I have been told and all indications are that there are elements that are desired, for instance a marina and a certain amount of villas are being required as per the developer’s needs. However the concept is apparently living, however the question is to the scale – the question has always been a matter of scale. We have had concerns as to – is this the location for a citadel or even an event? I think there was reference to special events being hosted that have a degree of infrastructure that will be needed. The reality of that location I think from the aerial and even from the maps they’re saying is roughly twelve hundred acres…but from all indications and documents I have read only about two hundred and thirty acres of it is solid land…the rest is wash-over mangrove so the question is can you really achieve what they are desiring on the parcel of land that they are in process of buying? We really want to keep it in the present. We want it to be in the conscious mind of Belizeans. We want them to know what is happening in the country. We have gone on several times and my colleague Miss Chanona has gone on the books basically to say that it is a national issue and we have to keep it in the national forum. People need to be aware of what is happening and the realities of what our system is facing.”</em></p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" class="highslide" target="_blank" href="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Puerto-Azul0002.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-101762" title="Puerto Azul0002" src="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Puerto-Azul0002-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150"/></a></p>
<p><strong>There is also growing opposition based on the fact that Lighthouse Reef is home to the Blue Hole and the Halfmoon Caye natural monuments, both World Heritage Sites, and the development would likely have a severe impact on those sites.</strong></p>
View the full article