Last week we told you about the first, preliminary meeting of the three person Appeals Tribunal to review the DOE's Decision on the Port of Belize Expansion and Cruise Tourism Project.
Well, the attorney for a group of concerned citizens, Leslie Mendez has written to the judge chairing that Tribunal to say, quote, "We write on behalf of the Belize Federation of Fishers (the "Federation") and Latonya Gongez Polonio, together with other members of the Jane Usher community, and hereby indicate to the Tribunal that the Federation and these community members wish to participate in the above-captioned appeal in the capacity of interested parties."
She adds, quote, "While not expressly provided for in the Regulations, it is our view that the power of the Tribunal to make rules regulating its procedure includes the power to allow the intervention of those who are likely to be directly impacted by the Project under review."
Sister YaYA Marin Coleman is one of those interested parties and she told us why they want to be involved:
YaYa Marin Coleman
"We had an interest on behalf of the Belize Federation of Fishers and some people in the Jane Usher community and as you have read in the letter our attorney Leslie Mendez, the attorney who is representing those 2 entities stated why they had an interest. It was the first meeting. According to the EIA regulations they will set the rules and regulations and the position is that these 2 groups of people stand to be impacted directly if this development should go through and so therefore their voices ought to be heard."
"Its just a continuation. We sharing the letter. We keeping Belizean informed that this is what is being done in the interest of people when it comes to this tribunal."
"It's in our interest and anything that is about us that we're not included is of concern to us, even if it has never been done. Evenmore, why Belizean people should pay attention to this particular process, because it's up to the people to look after our best interest. And so that's why we feel strongly that those 2 groups of people in particular have an interest in this particular tribunal when it comes to the appeal. Nothing beats a trial but a failure. We won't know unless we try."
Jules Vasquez
"What would be the position you all would face?"
YaYa Marin Coleman
"That's not something I'm prepared to say at this time. We will cross that bridge when we get there. Come on Jules."
We'll let you know if and when there's an answer from the judge.
