Belize - Belize News - Channel5Belize.com - Great Belize Productions - Belize Breaking News
Home » Environment, Featured » South Chiquibul Joint Enforcement Unit launched to offset poaching
Jul 5, 2012

South Chiquibul Joint Enforcement Unit launched to offset poaching

Over the last ten to fifteen years, the increased presence of primarily illegal Guatemalans squatters, cutting timber and xate, coupled with poaching of the Scarlet Macaw, have called for increased law enforcement presence in the Chiquibul; particularly in the less accessible southern areas. Well, today the Ceibo Chico Conservation Post and the South Chiquibul Joint Enforcement Unit were launched in the Chiquibul National Park. The Ceibo Chico Conservation Post, situated on the extreme southern flank of the Chiquibul Forest, is the result of a Cabinet directive to bolster enforcement in the Chiquibul Forest. The joint forces unit is made up of Friends of Conservation and Development park rangers, B.D.F. soldiers, Forest Department and Police personnel who are tasked with addressing the ongoing illegal activities taking place in the southern region of the Chiquibul Forest. Minister Lisel Alamilla unveiled the plaque commemorating the launch of the Conservation Post and the four institutions signed the Ceibo Chico Protocol. The protocol stipulates the standing operating procedures and specifies the role of each participating institution. Following the launch, Friends of Conservation and Development was officially recognized as the organization to administrate and manage the Las Cuevas Research Station located in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve. Funding for the installation of the Ceibo Chico Conservation Post was obtained from the Protected Areas Conservation Trust and international agencies.


Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.

Advertise Here

2 Responses for “South Chiquibul Joint Enforcement Unit launched to offset poaching”

  1. Rod says:

    My Mayan people no do this gov. No favor if you are not paid don’t do anything if this pm can pay gangsters for doing nothing then he can pay you to do this work why are we paying his salary for or he bdf if you the common people will have to risk your life fu what protect unu self and unu family from this useless pm and gov.

  2. Storm says:

    I would like to suggest offering rewards to any Belizean who gathers evidence of poaching or squatting of any kind and turns it over to the authorities. It would be easy to give digital cameras to volunteers who want to work on that concept. I think we have plenty of people who live in the area and depend on the forest for legal livelihoods that would be available to help secure our forest heritage.

    I would also give rewards for arrests that lead to convictions, if I were King.

    Maybe some NGO can get behind such a project.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login