CITIZENS ORGANIZED FOR LIBERTY THROUGH ACTION (COLA) PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE GOVERNMENT PERPETUATES DICATORSHIP WITH OIL REGULATIONS BELIZE CITY, Tues. Jan. 20, 2015 – COLA has received a copy of the draft Petroleum Exploration Zones and Guidelines booklet created by the Geology and Petroleum Department of the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology and Public Utilities (MESTPU). In its current format, the booklet sets out four zones for petroleum exploration, encompassing nearly all of the territory of Belize, but in only one of these zones is any sort of exploration restricted. The accompanying map shows that this area 1 is only limited to the Maya Mountains and portions of Stann Creek and Toledo Districts and the extreme northern tip of Ambergris Caye. In the remaining three zones, which encompass a large majority of Belize, both on-shore and off-shore pre-drilling activities are generally permitted up to the stage of seismic testing where environmental compliance and consultation comes into play. This includes the Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in danger of delisting as a result of the Government’s plans to permit offshore drilling, and spawning and nesting sites for fish, conch, shrimp, lobster, birds and other species. In its overview, the Department claims that it “recognized the need for a framework aimed at harmonizing petroleum exploration and environmental protection and tourism development in the onshore and offshore areas of Belize and the barrier reef system.” It goes on further to say that it reviewed national data, international best practices in the petroleum industry and review of similar guidelines by international agencies and lists same at the end of the document. COLA firmly believes that the idea of harmonizing the environment with development through offshore drilling in particular is ludicrous. The Government has not said who it has consulted in relation to this document and as far as we know there was no meaningful response to our letters of January 6, 2010 – five years ago – to Director Andre Cho, and of May 12, 2010 to Prime Minister Dean Barrow. We asked Director Cho and the Prime Minister to consider implementing a moratorium on offshore drilling; consider suspending concessions that have already been signed to obtain further information; restructure the ways that concessions are distributed by introducing an environmental impact assessment and socio-economic assessment at the earliest stages, before any work is done; and to ensure more of the public’s participation in the issuance of these concessions. We see no evidence of this in the draft guidelines; further, since 2010 we have said that there must be attention to the outdated laws and capacity built to separate the responsibilities for petroleum in terrestrial areas and those in marine and offshore areas including wetlands and marshes. The guidelines meld both of them together while paying lip service to that suggestion. Clearly, in its haste to search for riches that are not even confirmed as yet, the Government has committed itself to an uncertain future for Belize’s natural environment, and dictated that future in the mistaken belief that “oil money” will solve more of Belize’s problems than it causes. In 2012, when the Government refused Belizeans a proper referendum on the issue, over 20,000 Belizeans voted in a “People’s Referendum” against offshore drilling. Today, they have been told, “you can kiss my ass – drill we will!” But the fight is not over yet, and what happens in darkness must come out to light! NO TODAY, NO TOMORROW, NO FOREVER TO OFFSHORE DRILLING!///
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 21:49:40 +0000
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