B.N.N. Speaks out Against Alleged Illegal Land Distribution

On Monday, members of the Maya Forest Corridor Coalition sent an open letter to Deputy Prime Minister, Cordel Hyde and Minister of Sustainable Development Orlando Habet expressing concern regarding deforestation within the Manatee Forest Reserve.  These activities are due to alleged illegal encroachments and the issuance of lands. The letter states quote, these activities are causing significant environmental damage and are being carried out seemingly unimpeded by the relevant authorities, without public knowledge or consultation with key stakeholders, end quote. N.G.O. Senator Janelle Chanona and Doctor Elma Kay, Chair of the Belize Network of N.G.O.s, provided further details on the situation.

 

Janelle Chanona, Senator for NGO’s

“I think that is the fundamental question, and it’s cross, not just from this perspective, but across that. Who is actually making these decisions? Who is actually in charge? Who is managing? Because if we’re saying on one hand we’re committed to biological corridors, we’re committed to protected areas, we’re committed to the integrity, knowing the goods and services that those areas are protecting, how is it that people are coming out of left field saying, but I have a title and I am doing this and this isn’t a land grab. This is that. That is really the fundamental issue, I believe from where I’m sitting in terms of.  Making sure we know who is making these decisions, why are these decisions being made, how come the decision isn’t being shared in terms of informed decision making, consultative processes. Because at the end of the day, these are not questions that we should be asking after the fact.”

 

Dr. Elma Kay, Chair, BNN

“A forest reserve is a category of protected area and by our National Protected Areas legislation, lands shouldn’t be issued there, nor should there be any clearing that is happening. So clearly, there is something happening in this reserve. And like I say, we are aware that there has been some land issuance. Now, we don’t know who issued those lands. It could have been a previous administration. It could have been this admin, this government administration at a different time. We don’t know how the land was issued. We don’t have all those details, but we do know that there are titles granted within this protected area and so what we are saying is this is very detrimental to all the work that we have actually been doing with those very same ministries and the government of Belize to protect the Maya forest corridor, because in fact, the corridor and manatee forest reserve. are one large pathway, if you want to call it, that connects Belize’s two largest forest blocks. And there’s no point in saving a portion if another portion is getting destroyed.”