Sargassum Pummels Placencia’s Coast, Threatens Tourism

Belize’s worsening sargassum crisis may soon become part of the country’s clean-energy solution. As thick mats of seaweed continue to overwhelm coastal communities and strain the tourism industry, the government says it is nearing an agreement to convert sargassum into energy. Beverly Wade, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of the Blue Economy, says the project could turn an expensive environmental threat into a valuable resource. But she warns that government and tourism stakeholders must keep working together to build a sustainable, long-term response.

 

Beverly Wade, CEO, Ministry of Blue Economy

“I will say that we are now encouraged because we now have a project that is in place that we are looking at implementing that is now going to look at ways to energy for sargassum. It is a project that is being funded by the UN SIDS and it is going to first look at the sargassum problem in the northern part of our country, particularly San Pedro and Ambergris Caye. We continue to work in the south. We are not forgetting the south. We have an action plan that Cabinet passed where we are looking at how to address sargassum and the erosion in the south.

 

Paul Lopez

“A lot of the impact is on hoteliers. Do you think that these hoteliers are doing enough by playing a role in investing financially and tackling this issue?”

Beverly Wade

“I am not sure if I am in a place to talk about the investment by hoteliers, but you are right. Who is taking a beating in the country is primarily the tourism sector. Government recognizes that and we are now working, in communication with them, to see how we can partner. The bottom line is we can’t do it by ourselves. Government cannot tackle the sargassum problem on its own, it’s simply not sustainable and the private sector cannot either.”

 

Wade contends that the Government of Belize and tourism stakeholders must work together to establish a sustainable solution to tackle Belize’s sargassum crisis.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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