The other hot button news issue this past week has been the dredging at Will Bauer Flats. As we told you last night, it's currently on pause after the Ministry of Natural Resources put a suspension on any development until after it can investigate the concerns of the tour guides who use the area.
The flats is a fly fisher's heaven - a sport that generates millions in tourist revenues every year for Belize.
The Belize Fly Fishing Association has demanded a stop order - not just a suspension - and today we asked the Minister if they'll ever get one.
Cordel Hyde, Minister of Natural Resources
"It's legitimate concerns. It's concerns that we have heard loud and clear. And that is why the government intervened to ensure that no dredging takes place in the immediate. But there was a process to get here. Let's not forget that it wasn't a unilateral decision that ended up with these folks getting permission to move forward with the development, like it went through an entire NEAC process and that NEAC body, as you well know, has a whole bunch of actors from across the environmental community, across the government sector. And those persons studied this thing, I believe. And seriously, I think they take their jobs very seriously and their responsibilities seriously and they studied it and ultimately give environmental clearance. Ultimately, the Fisheries Department, gave no objection and based on that the mining department give a mining license. And as I understand it, there was two consultations that took place in in Hopkins, but I'm not sure who attended because, you know, consultations sometimes could be just a few people, could be not the serious people, could be not the real stakeholders, I don't know. So that's why we had to press the stop button and for us to take a serious look at it to decide how we move forward. You know, if it's up to me, if it were up to me, I would say just kill it totally. But these things, as you know, have a life of their own. There are always legal implications with these things. But I can tell you that governance is very concerned about it because, you know, ultimately we have to protect this space, this delicate gift that we have been given by God, and we have to do what's right by it."
"But we will look at it critically. And in the meantime, we will have more discussions, take very seriously, the concerns of brother Eworth and the other folks who have expressed deep concerns about this project and Cabinet will have to then decide on the way forward."
