For the past few days, 7news has been reporting on the hundreds of thousands of dollars in PACT funds which have been used for non conservation initiatives.
Fifty thousand dollars was used to sponsor the Belize International Music and Food Festival, and in May 370 thousand dollars was approved to pave a road in the free zone - which is completely unrelated to any concept of conservation.
These exposures by 7News have caused some public uproar - and it has now forced a response from government.
APAMO Board members this morning cancelled a scheduled appearance on UNCUT, reportedly because the Prime Minister has opened negotiations with the conservation groups.
This is one month after a 7 page letter to the minister was ignored and three months after APAMO met with the same PM to voice their concerns and nothing was done.
But, for the time being they will hold their powder rather than continue to ventilate the issue.
At their press conference last week Thursday, we asked the Executive Director of the Belize Audubon Society if PACT was being politically manipulated. She was hesitant to answer:
Jules Vasquez
"Some thinking to sort of redirect PACT funds away from conservation only where it can be used in other areas that will perhaps generate a better return on investment, let's say, and also perhaps it can work for a political purpose."
"Are there moves a foot to try and reconstrue PACT into something that can be more effectively instrumentalized by politicians?"
Amanda Acosta, PACT Board Representative, NGO's
"That's a loaded question. The truth of it is when they changed the PACT Act in 2015, the majority changed to government."
"So that naturally gave them an advantage and APAMO has written letters because we do not have a CBO rep. I sit on the PACT Board as the NGO rep, as APAMO's rep, but I am the only non-governmental."
We'll keep following the story.
