Following the UNESCO meeting in March, Francesco Baldarin the Director of the World Heritage Center is proposing in the draft decision to the World Heritage Committee that the Belize Barrier Reef be inscribed onto the in Danger list.
They concluded that the Belize barrier reef is under ascertained threat, primarily from the destruction of mangrove islands within the property boundaries.

Belize Institute of Enviromental Law and Policy (BELPO) have been instrumental in bringing the plight of the Belize Barrier Reef World Heritage site to the attention of UNESCO. As far back as November 2004 they had been petitioning for the Barrier reef to be places on the in Danger list. Their hard work is now paying off.
Thank you BELPO, Candy Gonzalez, Melanie McField, Lisa Carne and all others involved





accsdbelize.com

25 May 2009

“Dear Ambassador,

As you know, the World Heritage Centre and IUCN undertook a joint reactive monitoring mission to the Belize Barrier Reef in March this year, as per decision 32 COM 7B.33 of the World Heritage Committee. The information gathered during this mission and from other sources serves as the basis for the state of v report which will soon be distributed.

I wish to inform you that based on the results of the mission, both the World Heritage Centre and IUCN are proposing in the draft decision to the World Heritage Committee that the property be inscribed on the list of World Heritage in Danger. We have concluded that the property is under ascertained threat, primarily from the destruction of mangrove islands within the property boundaries. The loss of mangrove ecosystems, which include associated marine ecosystems, is clearly leading to the erosion of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value....”
Very worrying indeed - click to read complete letter

I was at the meeting at the lions Den when he spoke and it was obvious he was going back with a negative report.
but isn't a negative report, some pain and suffering from punishment going to be necessary to turn around government.
Could we look at this Danger list as a good thing because it will hopefully ,if it hurts enough, get Change started.
A drop in arrivals will get the right people kicking the correct asses.

If terminal damage hasn't already been done by then. I have friends in Europe who find the "mass suicide" wish by government in Belize, allowing short term commercial interests to be totally over-riding, utterly astonishing. Following the mantra to "follow the money", I can't help wondering whether personal gain is not at the root of many of the inexplicable decisions we have seen lately, even though they've done a very good job of obvuscation.

i got this from the ACCSD too.

peter - i often don't necessarily agree with you, but here i do.

'mass suicide wish by the GOB' - interesting yet fairly accurate way to put it.