BTV Says G.O.B. Should Do More for the Chiquibul  

The Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) says that the government should do more to protect the Chiquibul Forest. In a press release, the BTV said that the government must take “decisive steps to halt this invasion”. That invasion the BTV is referring to is the illegal activities being carried out by Guatemalans inside the Chiquibul Forest. Earlier this week, Friends for Conservation and Development  (FCD) that a flyover conducted recently revealed a newly constructed road inside the Chiquibul. The FCD says the road is for access to water, thereby facilitating for a more pronounced activity of cattle ranching activity in that southern region of the park by Guatemalans. Leader of the BTV, Wil Maheia told News Five that there must be an increase presence in the Chiquibul for its protection.

 

Wil Maheia, Leader, Belize Territorial Volunteers

“We find it very, very sad that on international days of environment, Belize is priding itself on protecting our natural resources yet turning its back to all the incursions and degradation that’s happening to our protected areas. We call on the government, we call on the UDP who has been very quiet throughout all this. This just didn’t start yesterday. This started more than 10 years ago and it continues to grow. There’s over 2000 hectares which is larger than the entire Belize city that has been deforested. Now the average Belizean cannot even go on the side of the road and clear land without being arrested. Why can’t the government stop the Guatemalans? Obviously they don’t care because they are not doing anything, right? Three years now since this government got into power. Nothing has been done to really stop the incursions into the forest in my opinion. Yes, I give the government a big applause for building the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base. That has reduced the amount of illegal fishing. If we do the same in the Chiquibul it will reduce the incursions. It will reduce the degradation of our protected areas. This is Belize. This is what we have.”