 In London today, Attorney
General Godfrey Smith told the five-man judicial committee of the Privy
Council that the Chalillo Dam is fundamental to the Belize's economic
welfare and warned of dire consequences if the project is delayed. The
Privy Council is hearing an appeal this week brought forward by BACONGO,
an umbrella organisation for a number of environmental groups opposed to
the construction of the thirty million U.S. dollar dam on the Macal
River by Fortis Incorporated of Newfoundland, Canada. BACONGO claims the
Environmental Impact Assessment was faulty and that the geological study
indicated the dam would be built on granite when in fact the area is
sandstone and shale, raising questions about its safety. BACONGO is
asking the Privy Council to order a new E.I.A., but construction on
Chalillo has already begun. According to a report filed by the Canadian
Press this afternoon, the Attorney General said that as a poor country,
Belize relies on foreign investment to build public projects and he
fears that the money would "evaporate" if the Privy Council orders the
dam to undergo a second environmental assessment, possibly postponing
its construction for years or causing the project to be abandoned. He is
quoted as saying "Belize simply cannot afford for the world financial
community to know that there is this kind of indecisiveness." Smith also
said that while the dam will not necessarily provide cheaper power to
the people of Belize, it will stabilise prices in the long term by
making the country less reliant on foreign power. In referring to power
purchases from Mexico, the Attorney General said, "It is not in our
national security interest to rely on a foreign country for half our
electricity needs." The Privy Council reserved judgement on the case on
Wednesday and it could be weeks until a final ruling. This is the first
environmental case ever to be heard by the Privy Council since its
establishment the Middle Ages. Immediately following the newscast,
Channel 5 will broadcast a report on the Chalillo dam, which aired today
on the B.B.C.
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