And keeping it on the Portico topic, last week we reported that the conservation community had failed to be sufficiently vocal in their opposition to the Port of Magical Belize project - and certainly not as vocal as they were opposing the Waterloo and Stake Bank ports.
Senator Janelle Chanona rejected that narrative today though, saying that the NGO's have not been silent, and did their best to speak up against Portico by writing letters to NEAC and DOE, as well as maintaining their social media presence.
Janelle Chanona, Senator
"Well I believe that those statements have already been called uninformed because they are. At the end of the day the NGO community worked the process and wrote letters to the National Environmental Appraisal Committee, copied to the Department of Environment in some cases the ministers were copied to that. We also did various press interviews social media. Our sentiments on that is unquestionable. It is also a matter of fact that in calling for all EIA processes to be paused until there was a comprehensive overview of that there was a commitment, and I even think there was an appointed sub committee of
cabinet to look at updating that cruise policy. So I don't think it's fair to say that the NGO community has been silent. It's more that those in opposition to present those updated cruise tourism policies and other relevant policies have been in active if not silent about their work. And we continue to reiterate that call. It is important nationally again, public resources public assets, you're talking about a fundamental thing like changing the profile of the country. It is imperative that that be taken very seriously and that all the concerns expressed to be meaningfully addressed and we continue reiterate that position."
