Black Immigrant Daily News

by Marco Lopez

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Aug. 8, 2022 Aquatic ecologist, Dr. Ed Boles has drafted a 31-page document sounding the alarm on a potential threat to the environment that could affect the Jewel for generations to come – the proposal of Vulcan Materials Company, the largest construction aggregate firm in the US, to set up shop in Belize and mine limestone from a mineral formation located at the White Ridge Farm, a private property near Gales Point, Manatee in the Stann Creek District.

The company has expressed an interest in purchasing the property but has not finalized the acquisition, according to recent reports. They are, however, now seeking an audience with government officials and the people of Gales Point, a large number of whom have passionately opposed the project, which they believe could disrupt their way of life.

In a recent interview, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources, Petroleum and Mining, Hon. Cordel Hyde, told local media that the company’s proposal is a “no- go”.

“The residents from Gales Point Manatee have made it absolutely clear to the government, that they don’t want that kind of activity in their neck of the woods, absolutely clear for the longest time—at least I can remember since we’ve been in government, and I can imagine it even from before, they’ve been clamoring and making that statement, and if we’re a government of the people, by the people, for the people, then we have to listen to our people, so that’s a no-go for us really,” Hon. Hyde told local media.

We’ve been informed that the company is seeking environmental clearance for mining operations that, according to Boles, could potentially disrupt local hydrological systems in the Southern Lagoon and threaten flora and fauna in the area. This Alabama-based company has been in a long-standing dispute with the Mexican government over its method of extracting limestone—methods that President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says amount to “ecological catastrophe.”

They have since been ordered to stop their mining operation in two locations in Quintana Roo, Mexico, and have subsequently brought a lawsuit against the Mexican government for $1.5 billion. (We understand that this is just one of a number of lawsuits the company has brought against the Mexican government.)

The company, which is operating in Belize under the name, “The White Ridge Project”, has said that they are in the process of exploring the geologic and economic feasibility of embarking on a mining operation in Belize. But by all indications, it seems that they already have their sights set on the Sugar Hill limestone formation located at the White Ridge Farm. Reports are that the company has been operating in Belize under the name Caracol Holdings Limited and received an exploration license as far back as 2019 to search for limestone in the country. They are now planning a trip to Belize, during which they plan to conduct information sessions seemingly geared at securing the buy- in of the residents of Gales Point, a community already affected by and battling the effects of erosion.

Despite DPM Hyde’s apparent stance in support of the community’s opposition to the proposed mining operation, the company’s VP of External Affairs and Corporate Communication, Janet Kavinoky, says the company wants to start a dialogue. They are looking for an opportunity to convince the government and the community that their project is environmentally and socially feasible.

“There is a process by which Belize and the government offer companies to go through where we say we want to go through that process. We want to ask and answer any question. We want people in the community, people with interest to ask and answer questions.” Kavinoky told 7News’ Jules Vasquez in a recent interview.

The company has a long history of contentious litigation over its operation within areas of the United States and now in Mexico. Boles fears that Belize could fall into its corporate web and be subject to destructive practices and lawsuits of crippling proportions if the company is allowed to operate within the country.

Among some of the glaring environmental concerns listed in the study, is the fact that the company intends to blast and pulverize the limestone material and use a conveyer bridge to carry the material to waiting cargo ships in a dredged-out center on the inner channel behind the Barrier Reef. This would involve transporting such material over both land and sea. His study says that the government has banned strip mining in the area, but the company wants to push forward and get environmental clearance to start work in Belize.

“Belize has increased in importance to Vulcan because the Mexican Government shut down the Calica

Mine on May 5, 2022, due to the extensive amount of environmental damage the mining operation was causing. In response, Vulcan has a lawsuit against the Mexican Government for $1.5 billion USD, and the International Center for Investment Disputes shall be issuing a decision,” Dr. Boles stated.

As mentioned, the Mexican government cited concerns over the impact of limestone extraction on the local environment and water table and called Vulcan’s method “destructive”. “What is very clear is that we’re not permitting any more extraction of the material,” President Obrador Lopez said in a press conference in late May, and he added that the operations will remain suspended until the parties agree on what to do with the site.

The US-based company has operated through the Calica unit in Mexico and has several concessions in Quintana Roo that have enabled it to crush limestone in mines in that area and ship it to the United States. The area, which occupies around 10,400 acres, resembles a wasteland, and the Mexican president has threatened to submit a complaint to the United Nations about the destruction of the area, but later toned down his remarks.

The company’s website for the White Ridge Project says that they are looking into creating an “environmentally and socially sustainable limestone quarry,” but Boles’s report highlights, for example, that methods such as strip mining— which involves removing the top foliage and soil of an area to expose the limestone deposit–are the most commonly used and oftentimes cause permanent destruction. This method renders the area a wasteland before making pockets of sinkholes, from which the limestone is extracted. Kavinoky has since said that the company does not intend to carry out a strip mining operation but will instead do aggregate quarrying.

In terms of how limestone mining can affect ground water, the report states, “Limestone mining has significant effects on groundwater resources, through the removal of the aquifer deposit or a large part of that deposit. As limestone mining progresses, there is less water storage space available, the intricate structure of the aquifer is destroyed, and eventually, the water table is left exposed, becoming a surface water body.”

Boles is calling on Belizeans to urge the government to not sign any agreement with the company, known for its strong-arm legal approach and destructive practices.

“I think that this would probably hurt our reputation in the world as a country that is putting our natural resources on high priority. Allowing these kinds of development to come into the country is really counter to many of the projects that have been done so far to conserve those resources,” he said.

Dr. Boles added, “We can’t replace the ecological services that ecosystems provide us and that includes all of the organisms living in the ecosystem that are providing the nurturant and other resources that keep life viable on earth, and a healthy civilization requires a healthy ecosystem. I think that there is growing support amount Belizeans to not accept these kinds of development schemes…I think we are beginning to understand that we need to be very careful of the kinds of development that we engage with and select those development strategies that best fit our small country that focus on conserving the incredibly rich natural resources that we have, those resources that really define us. “

Vulcan Materials Company is located at 1200 Urban Center Dr., Birmingham, Alabama, and is currently headed by J. Thomas Hill, Chairman of the Board. As mentioned, the company is the largest supplier of construction aggregates across the United States.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Aug. 8, 2022 Vanessa Acevedo, 35, the owner of “Cocktail Bar” on Perez Road in Ladyville, was shot dead by a 17-year-old robber in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday, August 6, while closing her establishment. The minor allegedly shot her point blank in the chest before escaping with

some of her belongings.At around 12:15 a.m. Saturday,

Acevedo was in the company of a 19-year-old security guard who was assisting her in closing her establishment, and while they were standing at the back of the property, a young man entered through a side gate, approached Acevedo, and demanded that she pass over her belongings—presumably her money and jewelry—to him.

Moments later, the robber pulled out a firearm and fired a single shot at point blank range at Acevedo, which seemingly killed her on the spot. The robber then quickly took whatever valuables Acevedo had in her possession and fled.

Over the weekend, Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, informed members of the local media that a suspect was taken into custody by police in connection with the death of Vanessa Acevedo and is awaiting charges.

On Monday, during the weekly police press briefing, ASP Alfonso Aban, Officer Commanding the Crime Investigating Branch (CIB), told local reporters that a 17-year-old minor from the Stann Creek District was charged in the presence of his mother for murder. Acevedo’s belongings were later recovered in an area where her attacker fled.

ASP Aban further informed reporters that they are seeking a second assailant in connection with this crime.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Vocero di Wardacosta, Shalick Clements:

ORANJESTAD (AAN) – Den conferencia di prensa, e Vocero di Wardacosta Caribe Hulandes, Shalick Clement, a duna un relato tocante e casonan di botonan cu material ilegal, detecta den e vecindario di awanan teritorial di Aruba.

CASONAN JULI 2022:

Por saca afo di e cifranan duna pa e vocero, cu di 16 pa 27 di Juli, Wardacosta a intercepta 900 kilo di cocaina y 1 kilo di marihuana.

16 Juli: Wardacosta a detene e boto Casandra cu tambe ta local unda a haya dos hende homber local, cu un cantidad chikito di droga, cu tabata mas of menos dos kilo.

22 Juli: Wardacosta a haya su mes cu un caso unda a haya un cantidad mas grandi di droga, cu tabata mas of menos 400 kilo di cocaina, unda tabata tin cinco hende homber, di cual un Venezolano, un Dominicano y un Colombiano, tabata tin abordo diferente bulto di droga.

26 di Juli: Wardacosta a detene otro boto local, cu dos hende homber unda cu a wordo haya mas of menos 40 kilo di cocaina abordo y un kilo di marihuana. Conhuntamente cu e partnernan di e cadena hudicial, a atende cu e caso aki.

27 di Juli: Wardacosta a haya un Gofast,  cu tres hende homber riba dje, transportando 460 kilo di cocaina.

TRAFICACION DI HENDE:

30 di Juli: Pa ultimo, e seis botonan cu el a menciona, a wordo haya dia 30 di Juli unda a detene un boto den area di Baby Beach, yama “Nuestra primera vez” unda a detene e capitan y a traslad’e pa Unidad di traficacion di hende. E capitan ta ser sospecha di mensensmokkel, y e siete personanan cu tabata transporta a wordo traslada pa Warda Nos Costa.

            “Manera nos a indica, pues diferente boto local y hende local, cu tambe nos ta mirando den e ultimo simannan y lunanan cu a pasa, cu nan ta traha conhuntamente of nan mes ta haci e transporte.

Nos a haci tur e trabaonan aki, hopi bon trabao, cu cooperacion di nos partnernan cu ta OM, KPA, Warda Nos Costa, Douane, Imigracion y KIA, y nan diferente unidadnan.

            Nos tin tambe, banda di e trabao cu nos a haci via e Punto di Sosten di Aruba, algun transporte cu a tuma lugar den e area di Curacao, y nos a haci esaki hunto cu, entre otro e barco di marina, cu ta Groningen, cu ta navegando e Islanan ABC (Aruba, Bonaire y Curacao) y akinan tambe nos a logra intercepta bastante boto y nos a saca un comunicado manera prensa por a mira siman pasa, unda nos a indica cu aworaki Wardacosta ta para riba 4 mil kilo di droga di cual hopi ta cocaina.

            Ayera tambe nos a canta bingo, caminda cu nos a haci un detencion riba un Gofast unda nos a haya bastante kilo di droga. Kiermen e 4 mil kilo ta bay subi. Mi no por indica ainda e cantidad, pero nos a haya bastante bulto y esaki tambe ta algo grandi cu nos a logra intercepta y kita droga for di cayanan, e islanan y paisnan pa evita cu e por wordo malusa”, señora Clement a indica.

            Pa conclui el a indica cu e agentenan di Kustwacht tambe ta navegando hunto cu e barco Groningen cu ta navega pa Wardacosta, kiermen e ta un unidad di dje na e momentonan aki, pero na momento cu e ta navega pa Marina of otro di e partnernan e no ta di Wardacosta mas, pero tur loke Groningen ta intercepta ta cay bao di Wardacosta.

galleryAworaki, Wardacosta ta para riba 4 mil kilo di droga/gallery

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