Seismic Surveys First Suspended Then Cancelled

Last month - under pressure - government suspended the seismic surveys in Belizean waters. The government maintained that surveys were being conducted as part of a regional initiative to gain a better understanding of what lies beneath our waters. However, after public outcry and opposition to the surveys by environmental stakeholders like the Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage, the Ministry of Economic Development and Petroleum decided to halt the surveys until proper public consultation could take place. Those consultations have not yet taken place, and don't hold your breath, because according to a press release by the Ministry of Economic Development and Petroleum, the regional offshore seismic survey has been cancelled. The Ministry has committed to hold appropriate consultations the next time a matter of such great national interest occurs.