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Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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NCL mega-tourism project in its final stages

Another mega development project that has come under a lot of fire from various quarters is the Norwegian Cruise Line's multimillion dollar port of call on Harvest Caye. As of mid-April, the controversial environmental impact assessment that was tendered had been revised and the National Environmental Appraisal Committee has given the nod to the investors. Today, Chief Environmental Officer, Martin Alegria, gave an update saying that the Environmental Compliance Plan has been finalized and the green light has been given to the company from an environmental standpoint.

Martin Alegria, Chief Environmental Officer

Martin Alegria

"What I know is that yes, the processes that NEAC requested to approve the EIA which we did, the NEAC did, the DOE accepted it then we started development of the Environmental Compliance Plan, which is all the details, the nitty-gritty. Ninety percent or so of that was amenable to the investors except we were just talking about financial sustainability except the environmental monetary fee that is attached to such compliance programs or environmental contracts. And that stood out for some week; that we were back and forth within the department, the different ministries and the investors and at the end we agreed to the level of funding but it might not be adequate or comfortable for us to do the job needed but there were caveats in there if this happens then this will kick in and etcetera, to the extent that we feel that the department and other key agencies comfortable for at least the next five years we have a proper monitoring program that we will have NCL and other similar ECPs with other projects or developers that we will be monitoring and supervising that things be done correctly. This monitoring fee is not only the department of the environment fee it is multi-stakeholder approach where we will even try to invite civil society private sector, key component of the monitoring to make sure that they are part of the inspection and supervision that these investments are doing the right thing and are doing the things they promise to do in the ECP, it's not so much promise but it is committed to doing in the ECP; so again NCL as far as I know, we had that little step that took a little longer than but we succeeded in passing it and now we are in the implementation phase."

All that's left now is for the terms of that agreement to be finalized. NCL intends to commence its port of call for the 2015-2016 cruise ship tourism season.�

Channel 5


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Marty Offline OP
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Norwegian Won't Be Injuncted, Hulse says

And while Puerto Azul's developers are "tripping the light fantastic" up the great red carpet in the sky, on the ground, the Norwegian Cruise Lines Harvest Caye Cruise Terminal Project is taking shape in real time.

But, an obstacle appeared yesterday when justice Courtney Abel gave the Belize Tourism Industry Association a partial victory in the Supreme Court. He agreed with two of four grounds they advanced which brought into question the procedure of Environmental Impact assessment.

Now, they may ask for an injunction to stop work on the project - and today Hulse discussed that possibility:..

Jules Vasquez
"Is that a concern to you that the development which is already in swing one gathers or is in preparatory phase will now be stopped?"

Hon. Godwin Hulse, Chair - Cabinet Investment Sbcmte
"None at all, I don't think it will be stopped. I think that what BTIA is doing is that they're using all efforts which is their right to ensure that according to them everything is done properly. They have a concern that the EIA process wasn't proper. That is what they are saying. We think otherwise, but if the court decides that it wasn't proper…it doesn't mean the project stops you know…what it means is that you do it over and you do it properly. That can be done in a very short time. But this project will go ahead. Government has sanctioned this. This project has met all the criteria. This project is important to the government and the people of the south and it will proceed."

Channel 7


Joined: Apr 2010
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Very interesting! I am not watching over this development first hand. I am glad that there are "educated" environmentalist paying close attention to one of the most beautiful wonders of the world. Please be gentle with our REEF. I understand progress is going to happen.
Question???? Why don't the bankers and developers develop what is already developed and going to rot/waste instead of building new constructions? Is this Ego or? I do not fully understand why there is so many vacant resorts? What is MEGA TOURISM. How is this helping the Environment and Belize. Do the locals matter to any developer? Don't you know there are so many unfinished projects crying out for support and completion? Am I over the top with these ideas?


Namiste/Have a blessed day
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Harvest Caye: Are NCL and the Belize Department of Environment Con Artists and Lackeys?

Earlier this month, we talked about the efforts of the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) to slow down or block the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) "mega cruise development" on Harvest Caye in Southern Belize. You can read our article here.

It seems that Belize's Department of Environment (DOE),under pressure from Miami-based NCL, rushed the massive and environmentally unsound project and avoided consulting with the public in Belize.

We have seen other cruise lines destroy ancient coral reef and mangroves during dredging and land-clearing projects to build one-sided projects designed to suck the money and resources out of Caribbean countries.

Today I ran across a "letter to the editor" from the Chairman of the Placencia Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association.

Characterizing the NCL executives who pitched the project as "con men" and those Belizeans who are hastily moving the project ahead without public participation in the environmental impact analysis as "lackeys," the tourism president asked some compelling questions about the Harvest Caye project.

You can read the article here.

NCL will carve up the mangroves and tear out the reefs to build their fantasy resort and wedge their massive ships in.

Once projects like this are plotted and hatched here in Miami, the wishes of the local people are irrelevant. Its only a matter of time before the bulldozers rip out the mangroves and the indigenous flora and fauna are replaced by the fill of crushed reefs.

Cruise Law News


Joined: Oct 2003
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I wish the same fate Harvest Caye and all the sites they will destroy face on all who promoted and approved. I still do not know why the US has not charged any of the US cits involved for taking and offering bribes, as is the law. Holding capacity in recent SI upped to 1500 pax for both Nim Li Punit and Lubaatun. Pimps.

Last edited by Katie Valk; 07/20/14 04:45 AM.

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'Its only a matter of time before the bulldozers rip out the mangroves and the indigenous flora and fauna are replaced by the fill of crushed reefs.'
Marty, this is mind numbing and makes my brain want to explode! A small fish in a big pond. I'm not a politician, nor am I wealthy enough to even begin to fight for the Reef. What I can do is at least be herd here and hope others that do have some clout can read the writing on the walls and understand that this type of development just does not make since in the long run. Just a thought. Why not but these millions into developing profitable fisheries in place for Conch, Lobster and the dwindling fish population along our slowly but surely dying Reef system. There are wonderful examples of projects like this around the world. The first Conch farm in the world in the Caicos is an example. Grand Turk has started one, Florida has one and we are depleting our Conch rapidly. There are so many wonderful things these NCL millionaires can do do help tourism if they would just think outside the box a little. Diversify a bit and think about the environment as a renewable resource if respected, instead of building more and more ships to go see a dead Reef system that you are helping to destroy! My thought for the day..........


Namiste/Have a blessed day

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