The Coalition to Protect our Natural Resources held a press conference on Tuesday, January 25, to once again emphasize their stance against oil exploration. This recent call to verbal warfare is to prevent exploration in the Sarstoon Temash National Park. Based on the results of seismic testing, Sarstoon Temash has great potential to yield commercial quantity of fine black gold and Prime Minister Barrow has said publicly that if US Capital Energy “says they are ready to drill they will be allowed to drill.”
The park is co-managed by SATIIM and their Chairman, Greg Ch’oc, has expressed his displeasure with the prospect of oil exploration in the area. He joined forces with Geovanni Brackett, Chairman of the Coalition, and Yvette Alonso from APAMO and went on a rhetorical rampage. At the press conference they presented a video showing the damages caused to Ecuador from oil exploration. It was a graphic and moving piece that showed the negligent practices of the oil companies in their waste disposal system. Waste product from oil exploration was stored in wells which were left behind after the oil companies left. The waste damaged the area and destroyed vegetation and water supply. Whether one agrees or disagrees with their cause, the coalition has raised some valid points and their fight/service is admirable.
There are risks associated with oil exploration and when there is a mishap it is extremely messy. The black substance stands out in any visual presentation. Just as it has done in countries like Ecuador, oil mishaps can cause serious consequences to an environment and alter the way of living for an entire community. There are other countries that oil exploration has negatively impacted as well. The Government of Belize has not tried to blanket that fact. Time and time again officials of government, including the Prime Minister himself, have expressed concerns about oil exploration and their determination to protect Belize from such catastrophe. However, the government has chosen to act on the belief that proper regulatory standards can negate those risks. Whenever we get on a plane there is a risk of a mishap occurring. Does the potential for a plane to crash stop us from flying? The concerns raised by environmentalists are valid but mishaps in oil exploration are not as common as they would like you to believe.
They have a vast knowledge of oil catastrophes and are willing to share it at every opportunity they get. It is a universal belief that the reason man is the most dominant animal species is its ability to adapt, make adjustment, improve. Based on that theory isn’t it possible that oil exploration in Belize is more environmentally sensitized because of the mishaps that occurred in other countries before?
If the environmentalists are really serious about protecting our resources they would stop waging war against the government and seek a partnership to ensure that the oil companies are regulated properly. Their “expert” knowledge would sure be an asset to the progression of Belize’s oil industry. With such partnership we may be able to truly benefit from our God given natural resources- both on surface and beneath surface.
