Patrick Faber Maintains UDP Did Not Approve Stake Bank Causeway

Regarding Stake Bank, the statement says the project is in construction phase and projected to be operational in 2022, having received the requisite approvals and permits. As it pertains to the proposed causeway from Belize City to Northern Drowned Caye and the causeway to Stake Bank, the Cabinet release says these projects are subject to an active governmental review to determine the validity of all processes and approvals. Cabinet says it has received an initial briefing from Chief Environmental Officer Mr. Martin Alegria where serious question have arisen including purported missing files. Cabinet says it has instructed Alegria to produce a written report on the factual circumstances associated with the processes engaged to seek regulatory approvals for these development project. And while Cabinet waits that report, the UDP maintains its position on the Stake Bank cause way.

Patrick Faber

Patrick Faber, Leader of the Opposition

“We have proposals for three ports and some have environmental difficulty. The Stake Bank project for instance, you know that there is serious back and forth going on with that. The UDP made its position known, that in fact we did not know if there was that kind of clearance given. It was not given with the approval of the UDP Administration. And, I need to be clear. It is not because the UDP then or now is against that kind of development. All the UDP said is that it cannot be done without people giving their input, in the form of consultations. That is our position, and we maintain that. It may be that people have, see it as something good. We go all over the world and we see cause ways, and it can exist with nature, but let us have the people give us their view so that we cannot have that kind of firework.”