Press Release, Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage – The Government of Belize Declines to Safeguard Belize’s Marine and Coastal Resources from the Threat of Offshore Oil Through Legislation. Is the Government of Belize saying ‘YES’ to Offshore Oil?
In the spirit of transparency, the Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage has disclosed a letter sent to a member of the Coalition on November 4th 2016.
As a reading of this letter will reveal, the Government is refusing to legislate a position on the offshore oil moratorium. Oceana is reiterating the need for legislation on the moratorium because the policy referenced in the letter is not even a written document and given that policies can change with little or no notice.
On a separate but related note, the Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage repeats its and UNESCO’s call to government to justify, on a scientific basis, the one kilometer buffer on the World Heritage Sites and the Belize Barrier Reef. Oceana highlights that despite announcing this promised ban in December 2015, government has even failed to formalize this decision by legislation. [As map highlights: all the areas in blue would be open to oil exploration if the moratorium is lifted; the areas in red would be the areas protected by the permanent ban.]
The members of the Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage reassures the Belizean people that we will continue to work to ensure that the petroleum industry is governed by stringent laws and transparent policies that rely on the best available science to guide Belize’s development.
Letter:
