Developer in Corozal Bay Told to Retract Portion of Jetty

The recent construction of a jetty, which extends several hundred feet into the Corozal Bay, has been a cause for concern for residents of the Bay Shore Drive area of Corozal Town. Several residents have voiced their distress over the extent of the environmental impact that a project such as that can have in their community, stating that they have already begun to see a change in the sea immediately next to the site of the construction, leaving residents to wonder, what is being done to rectify the situation. Today, we spoke with Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change & Disaster Risk Management, Orlando Habet for an answer.

 

Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change & Disaster risk Management

“The owner, the developer makes an application, went through the EIA process and they get environmental clearance. Many times these developers, if you are not behind them on a more frequent basis, they sometimes go beyond what is given on their environmental clearance. So the Department of, Environment has been to look at it. I think they have had conversations with the owner. What I’m told is that part of it is hidden from public view. And so they couldn’t see it until it is already a sizable portion of the development. But they have spoken to the owners that I think they are now retracting a portion of that jetty and so hopefully it will be environmentally sound and it can be mitigated.”