Black Immigrant Daily News

Minister of Natural Resources, Petroleum and Mining, Hon. Cordel Hyde, believes that Belize, as a sovereign nation, has the right to make its own decisions on whether to accept or reject the projects of developers. But when it comes to corporate giants such as Vulcan Materials Company and Waterloo Investment Holdings, that often proves difficult.

by Khaila Gentle

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Aug. 25, 2022

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources, Petroleum and Mining, Hon. Cordel Hyde, says that the efforts of giant corporations to exploit the country’s natural resources for exportation abroad is very reminiscent of colonialism. The minister is one of a few Government officials that have publicly spoken out against Vulcan Materials Company’s interest in aggregate mining at White Ridge Farm in Gales Point Manatee. Today, he once again expressed his strong views on the matter to the media.

According to Hon. Hyde, as an independent nation, Belize should have the power to reject developers that it has no interest in working with. Large, multinational companies, however, often have a hard time accepting “no” for an answer.

“We should have the power to say to any company, ‘you know what, your money is not good here. You know what, thanks, but it is okay. We do not want that kind of investment. We are concerned about other issues, and so you may want to move on to another country.’ We have that right. We’re an independent, sovereign nation. If we can’t do that, then we are not,” he said.

Minister Hyde confirmed today that representatives from Vulcan have requested, via the US Embassy in Belize, to meet with him. And while he has not fulfilled that request, the representatives have met with the Ministry’s CEO and the Mining Director.

“We are dealing with giant companies. We are dealing with multinationals that are used to getting their own way,” added Hon. Hyde.

Despite repeated and staunch objections from the people of Belize, developers have continued in their efforts to launch proposed projects in various communities. That includes Vulcan Materials.

This past Saturday, residents of Gales Point, a Kriol village. met with representatives from the company. There, some villagers made their message clear: they want nothing to do with Vulcan. Despite that response, the company has written a letter to the people of Gales Point, stating that they have been “energized by the productive conversations” that they had with the residents.

According to that letter, the company will continue to seek input from the village as well as from government leaders, local NGOs, scientists, and regulators. Vulcan also notes that this week, it plans to begin providing jobs to the people of Gales Point that will “pay a minimum of double the current minimum wage”. According to the letter, some persons have already expressed interest in taking up those jobs.

“We understand that there are some who have already made up their minds about this project. But we also know—from both our conversations with the government and with village residents—that there are many others who support this project,” wrote the Vulcan White Ridge Project Team.

Similarly, Waterloo Investments Holdings, a company believed to be owned by the Ashcroft Alliance, has continued in its efforts to get its proposed port expansion and cruise tourism village project approved, despite having been rejected by members of the public on at least three occasions during public consultations due to social and environmental concerns.

“For me, this whole Vulcan situation kind of reminds me of Ashcroft. There are some people who are just too big for this country,” noted Minister Hyde.The people of Gales Point, says Hyde, are resolute in their no. He also said that the environmental damage likely to result from mining in the area is “unthinkable”.

“You’re talking about our animals. You’re talking about our marine life. You’re talking about our hicatee, our manatees, our turtles, our fishes, our trees, our mountains that will never be the same. So why should we go down that road for a few jobs here and a few nickels there, while the rich multinationals will exploit our raw materials and ship that abroad?” Hyde said.

“You know what that sounds like to me? That smacks of slavery. That smacks of colonialism. That’s the very same thing that the ancestors of the Gales Point community fought against—escaped from slavery hundreds of years ago because they could not deal with that. They shunned that kind of thing,” Hon. Hyde further remarked.

Vulcan Materials Co. was recently ordered to cease its operations in Mexico, allegedly due to environmental and labor abuses committed while operating in Quintana Roo. The company has subsequently brought numerous lawsuits against the country’s government, including one for $1.5 billion.

The company’s representatives have requested to meet with the Ministry of Sustainable Development. Vulcan also plans to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report in the near future.

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Minister Thijsen na studiantenan di Amsterdam

ORANJESTAD (AAN)/DEN HAAG: Den stadhuis di Amsterdam a tuma lugar un encuentro pa e studiantenan di Curaçao y Aruba cu e aña aki ta bay cuminsa cu un estudio na un Hogeschool of Universidad na Amsterdam. Municipio di Amsterdam desde 2010 ta organisa e encuentro aki pa yama e studiantenan di e parti Caribense di Reino Hulandes bon bini na Amsterdam.

   Invitadonan special tabata e Ministernan Plenipotenciario di Curaçao, St. Maarten y Aruba, cu ta respectivamente Carlson Manuel, Rene Violenus y mr. Ady Thijsen. Tambe presente tabata directora a.i. di Arubahuis drs. Glenda Hernandez y mentornan pa Amsterdam Lourdes Bramble-Tromp.

   Como parti di e programa e locoburgemeester di Amsterdam Hester van Buren a yama tur e studiantenan bon bini y a bisa di ta contento cu e studiantenan a scohe pa bin biba y studia na Amsterdam. E politico a bisa cu e tin comprension pa e adaptacion cu e studiante ta pasa aden awor cu nan ta Hulanda. Pa ilustra esaki el a conta di su experencia den un intercambio estudiantil na Ecuador. ‘Como un mucha di 16 aña cu a sali for di un pueblo chikito den e parti norte di Hulanda y hayami den un ciudad grandi cu ta Guayaquil cu ta hopi druk.

   Tambe ta bini acerca e clima, e custumbernan y e idioma. Door cu mi no por a papia Spaño mi tabata keda keto. Tambe mi tabata tin e impresion cu tur hende tabata tin pleito, pasobra nan ta papia hopi cu nan man. Pero esey ta nan manera di expresa nan mes, dus mi a tuma esaki over y awor mi ta ripara cu ami tambe ta papia hopi cu mi man. Finalmente mi tabata habri pa e situacion; mi a cuminsa cu e aventura aki y asina esaki a bira un experencia unico di mi bida. Mi ta spera cu esaki tambe pasa cu boso. Tambe sra. Van Buren a bisa e studiantenan cu lo bin temporada dificil, pero persisti y keda kere den bo mes. Y sa cu tin hopi hende cla pa yuda’, asina locoburgemeester Van Buren a bisa.

   Tambe sra. Van Buren a papia di cera amistad pafor di bo mes un comunidad, bira miembro di un organisacion pa studiante asociacionnan deportivo of musical y mira kico tin di haci den bo bario. ‘Mi ta spera tambe cu boso tambe lo duna nos di Amsterdam algo bek y cu por laga bo “footprint” den nos ciudad. Si bo keda of bay bek. Pasobra tur hende for di tur parti di Hulanda y mundo cu a bin Amsterdam a trece nan talento, tradicion y storianan. Y esaki a haci di Amsterdam un ciudad special, colorido y bibito’, segun locoburgemeester Van Buren.

    Minister Plenipotenciario Suplente di Aruba mr. Ady Thijsen a comparti cu studiantenan su experencia di a studia na Leiden y Tilburg. ‘Bo mester ta sigur kico ta bo meta. Y ora cu bo sa exacto kico ta bo meta bo mester carga bo responsabilidad como studiante. Cu esaki mi kiermen studia responsabel. Bo mester busca un balansa entre studia y un bida social. Esaki a traha bon pa mi durante di mi estudio. Mi tin semper tres palabra cu mi a usa durante di mi estudio y despues den mi carera como abogado y politico. E palabranan ta Fe, determinacion y perseverancia,’ segun palabranan di Minister Plenipotenciario Suplente mr. Ady Thijsen cu tambe a desea e studiantenan hopi suerte den nan estudio.

   E programa a continua na unda Tanya Fraai a entrevista diferente studiante tocante nan estudio, e razon pa a scohe pa bin studia na Amsterdam y otro topiconan interesante.  E studiante di Curaçao Ian Peterson cu ta studiante economia na Universidad di Amsterdam a tene un charla den cual el a conta a base di su mesun experencia con e bida di studiante na Hulanda ta y por a duna a base di su experencia algun avisonan util pa e studiantenan nobo.

Na final e studiantenan a participa na un quiz pa mira con bon nan conocimento di Amsterdam ta, sigui pa un introduccion di diferente instancianan cu ta di importancia pa e studiantenan.

Potretnan ta cortesia di Arubahuis

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“Desaroyo di Destino ta continua cu Baby Beach”

ORANJESTAD (AAN): Durante un conferencia di prensa, Minister di Turismo conhuntamente cu Director di DOW y CEO di A.T.A. a duna un update di e proyecto di Baby Beach.

    Segun directora di A.T.A., desde e momento cu A.T.A. a pasa di ta un Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) pa un Destination Marketing and Management Organization (DMMO), a cuminsa enfoca riba diferente proyecto y tarea cu ta resorta bao di e responsabilidadnan di desaroyo di destino. Entre e responsabilidadnan aki ta resorta por ehempel siguridad, servicio, cultura, lugarnan atractivo pa potret e asina yama “instagrammable spots” y mas cu claro Aruba su playanan, parti esencial di e destino como un di e recursonan natural di mas importante.

   Den transcurso di e añanan A.T.A. tabata parti di diferente proyecto di mehoracion y embeyesimento di playanan manera por ehempel e proyecto di reposicionamento di santo entre otro den area di Bushiri, drechamento y mantencion di palapanan, ponemento di buoys y e mantencion di esaki, estudionan relaciona na awa y calidad di nos playanan, trapinan y pier di Rodger’s Beach como tambe Baby Beach fase 1 y 2.

   A cuminsa cu e proyecto pa trece desaroyo na Baby Beach como parti di e Seroe Colorado Masterplan algun aña atras cu intencion pa embeyece y desaroya Baby Beach y Rodger’s Beach.

   Cu fase 3 di Baby Beach lo desaroya e area di parkeo pa evita parkeer riba santo blanco y lo extende e voetpad connectando e playanan cu na mesun momento ta forma un barrera entre playa y area cu vehiculo motorisa por yega. Lo planta mas mata indigeno pa crea mas area fresco bou guia di DNM y FPNA. E turtle wall existente lo wordo hala atras pa crea mas area di beach y e trapi cu ta subi bay Seroe Colorado lo keda restaura.

   Den e siguiente fase (na 2023) lo sigui extende e voetpad te cu Rodgers’ Beach, e tennisbaan lo wordo restaura, dos kiosk pa F&B/retail lo wordo construi, e area di Rodgers’ Beach su beach lo wordo expandi, caretera lo wordo adapta y parking lo wordo structura diferente.

   A.T.A. lo sigui traha di cerca cu Minister di turismo, ministerio di turismo y otro partidonan y socionan pa asina por cumpli cu e maneho di turismo delinea.

Algun otro proyecto cu por menciona den e categoria aki ta por ehempel e restauracion di e pier patras di RIU, restauracion y embeyecimento di trapi di Hooiberg, trails pa Mountain Bike, trabaonan pa drecha e costa di Bushiri, e Aruba Happy One Pass (HOP) y tambe embeyecemento di e trapi na Rodgers’ Beach cu Mosaic.

   Adicionalmente di A.T.A. su rol pa facilita e diferente proyectonan aki, A.T.A. tambe tin un rol importante pa boga y para pa desaroyo sostenibel di Aruba como destino, balansando asina e necesidadnan di e comunidad cu esunnan di e bishitantenan. Como parti di A.T.A. su plan strategico multi-anual ta enfoca riba e modelo ‘High Value Low Impact’ unda ta considera e contribucion economico di turismo, e calidad di e experiencia di e bihitante, e proteccion y conservacion di medioambiente y e calidad di bida di residentenan pa asina por yega na resultadonan turistico di balor halto, minimisando e impacto cu esaki por tin riba Aruba. Pa e motibo aki A.T.A. ta forma parti di diferente comite hunto cu otro socionan manera e ‘Infra Tourism Committee’, ‘UTV/ATV Committee’, ‘Watersports Committee’ y tambe e ‘Aruba Amenities Committee’.

   A.T.A. lo sigui forma parti di oportunidadnan unda por crea desaroyo di destino den un forma sostenible pa por garantisa e bienestar di Aruba y su residentenan.

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WPC Jamilla Phillip speaks to Newsday on Friday as she stands next to her car that was firebombed on Wednesday at the HDC Chaconia Crescent apartment complex, Four Roads, Diego Martin, where she lives. Photo by Ayanna Kinsale

A police officer who lives at the Chaconia Crescent Housing Development, Four Roads, Diego Martin, is threatening legal action against the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) if it fails to secure the development, after five cars were firebombed there on Wednesday morning.

WPC Jamilla Phillip spoke to Newsday at the scene as she held up the burnt remains of $1,200 worth of new schoolbooks that had been in the damaged car.

She believes a man living in the area is responsible for this and similar incidents over the years, and says reports to the police and HDC have gone ignored.

She said, “When I got through with an HDC home seven years ago, it was a dream come true,but I am paying to live a nightmare. I advise people to buy a piece of land and don’t go to any HDC place.”

Years ago, Phillips said, her family’s apartment was broken into and faeces was thrown around it.

Last January, her car was firebombed. No one was arrested.

“Only the inside seats were burnt, so they (police) processed it, and I was still about to drive it… Now, with this, we have done all that we could. We have exhausted all avenues criminally, civilly and otherwise and this person is gaslighting his way through the process.” Then on Wednesday, around 2 am, CCTV showed unknown men entering the compound and firebombing three cars in the carpark. Two other vehicles were also affected, and damage reportedly totalled over $150,000.

She believes the same man is behind this incident and is calling on the HDC for relocation or compensation.

Police said a suspect has been arrested and is being questioned.

Over the past week, Phillip said, the man argued with tenants several times.

“No one else in here is in any ongoing feud here. The police said their hands are tied, and they are fed up with him, which is a lacklustre approach, but they would have, at some point in time, come and warned him. This did not help.

“People would have continuously gone into HDC and expressed concern for their safety and all the different things that are happening.

“It’s such a coincidence that every person he got into an altercation with over the past week, their cars have been firebombed.”

The mother of five said the same man had stabbed her husband last yearand that matter is now before the court.

She is disappointed by what she described as a lack of concern among officials at HDC about resolving the problem.

“No proper investigation, and now it has snowballed out of control, where this person thinks he has the right to come and cause havoc. I have criminal matters with this person.

“What right HDC has to have a social, legal and security department and something like this has to reach to this extent?”

“The cameras showed my car was lit first. Obviously, it was done in malice by somebody who has a vendetta.”

She said the HDC needs to “come forward and show us all the efforts they have been making since the first firebombing incident and all the complaints sent to them on this individual.”

She challenged the HDC to convince residents it has done all in its power to have those past complaints addressed.

Phillip forthrightly said she has also lost faith in the ability of her colleagues at the Four Roads Police Station, just a stone’s throw away.

Calls and an e-mail to the HDC’s managing director Jayselle McFarlane went unanswered.

Police at the Four Roads station did not want to comment.

Police public relations officer Insp Michelle Lewis and head of the Port of Spain and Western Divisions ACP William Nurse could not be reached for comment.

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