We report one more topic coming out of the Upper House Chamber. That's the motion for the Senate to approve several statutory instruments passed by the Briceno Government. They are all conservation-related restrictions that the government passed to protect the country's sea spaces better. They are all designed to protect the Belize Barrier Reef as part of Belize's Blue Bond commitments. The Leader of Government Business told the Senate that the motion is vital to the marine conservation commitments which Belize signed on to for the Blue Bond:
Senator Eamon Courtenay - Leader of Government Business
"Madam President, I move that, whereas it is entered into a conservation funding agreement with Belize Blue Investment Company LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company, under 4th November 2021. And. Whereas, Article 2.1 of the Conservation Funding Agreement requires Belize, the Government of Belize, and each of its agencies to comply with the conservation commitments specified in Exhibit A of the Conservation Funding Agreement. And, whereas Clause one Milestone one of Exhibit A of the Conservation Agreement provides that no later than six months after signing the agreement, the National Assembly shall approve and the Government shall formally sign into law and Gazette the commitment made by the Government on 2nd April 2019 to expand protection for biodiversity zones 11.6% of Belize's ocean. And whereas Clause 2, Milestone 2 of Exhibit A of the Conservation Agreement provides that no later than six months after the signing of the agreement, the National Assembly shall approve and the Government shall formally sign into law and gazette the designation of all remaining public lands within the Belize Barrier Reef reserve system as strict mangrove reserves, as outlined in decision forty-three, 7B.21 which shall include a permanent ban on the sale of public lands within the Belize Barrier Reef reserve system. And whereas, for the purpose of the National Assembly confirmatory approval by letters dated 28th April 2022, Belize Investment LLC granted a six-month waiver of compliance with Milestone 1 of Exhibit A of the conservation agreement and Milestone 2 of Exhibit A of the conservation agreement as set out above, now, therefore, be it resolved that is Honorable Senate approves statutory instruments published in the Gazette and formally signed into law on the 21st April 2022, to give effect to the conservation commitments specified in Clause One, Milestone One and Clause two, Milestone 2, Exhibit A of the Conservation Agreement."
Senator Janelle Chanona - NGO Representative
"We certainly rise in support of the Government continuing to show its seriousness for this set of conservation commitments made under this agreement, Madam President. I note that of late, there has been some talk of loopholes and, you know, sidestepping some of these commitments in the agreement. And I think this certainly helps to show that the government at every juncture will take its commitments seriously and bring forward this. We continue to follow developments within these lands as well. As you know, these notes here speak to public lands being designated. But we have a lot of parcels of land within these areas [that are] privately held but undeveloped. So certainly, we continue to monitor because just because they're private, it shouldn't mean that we can do anything that we want there and then compromise the public assets that we're trying to protect under this agreement as well. So you will note that there is an ongoing conversation about EIA regulations and making sure that we have the laws in place to ensure that the goods and services and the benefits, financial even, that are covered under this agreement and more to come in the future are safeguarded."
