Last night we told you that SATIIM which is Greg Choq’s organization had been notified by the Forestry Department that it’s co-management of the Sarstoon Temash National Park was officially over. But more than that, today we learned that government will invite tenders for the co management of the park. That means that SATIIM could lose its power and institutional base – and in so doing, also dis-empower Greg Choq – to some extent. This is to government’s strategic advantage as the Prime Minister has made it clear that his government is flatly opposed to Choq’s Mayan land rights claims in the Toledo District.
But government’s manoeuvres are far from a precise pincer movement, in fact they are as clumsy as they are clever: and to know that you’d just have to read the letter the Forestry Department sent to SATIIM yesterday. For
starters, it is dated April 16, 2008, not 2009, and advises SATIIM that it’s co-management expired on April 27, 2008 – a date which – based on the letter’s date – would be in the future – but is spoken of in the letter as being in the past making it unclear just when the co-management agreement expired.
But the letter does make the point that park co-managers who want their agreements renewed need to submit a comprehensive financial including a detailed description of all fees collected. From the wording of the letter – the suggestion is that SATIIM has failed to fulfil that requirement. We were unable to reach Choq or his organization for comment at news time.
So, SATIIM’s co-management of the national park is done, and while they have been invited to submit a tender with the declared position of hostility between GOB and Choq it appears unlikely that their tender would be considered favourably.
But there’s hope...as this morning on Wave Radio, Choq called in and spoke with the Prime Minister who was a guest. While they differed substantially, it was agreed that there are areas of mutual interest that should be discussed. It was agreed that Choq would meet with the Minister of Natural Resources Gapi Vega when he returns to the country.
