The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future - it's basically the Blue Bond money. It was established in March 2022 as an independent, non-profit mechanism that will manage the funds generated by Belize's Blue Bond debt conversion. That allowed Belize to convert its national debt into a conservation fund that will generate an estimated BZ$360 million dollars for marine conservation and the sustainable development of Belize's marine resources over the next 20 years.
They've already started awarding grants to non-government agencies for the management of protected areas across Belize.
But, one group that applied for and did not get a grant is the Belize Federation of Fishers - and they're not happy.
Today, the Director of the Federation, Nigel Martinez told KREM NEWS that they didn't qualify on technical grounds, but his group feels discriminated against:
We'll follow up with the Belize Fund for a response next week.
