Belize Freezes Construction of Tall Buildings Amid Environmental Concerns

The Government of Belize is hitting pause on high-rise development across key coastal destinations, rolling out a six-month moratorium on buildings over three stories in places like Caye Caulker, Hopkins, Placencia, and Sittee River. Officials say the move comes amid growing concern over unchecked construction and its impact on fragile ecosystems. Belize Rural South Area Representative Andre Perez says the break will give authorities time to assess the environmental risks and consult with communities, before deciding how development should move forward.

 

Andre Perez, Area Representative, Belize Rural South

“ That’s part of the work that we’re doing, is that we need to put a halt. We need to put a moratorium. And that was done in cabinet to put a moratorium on that. High rise buildings also need to be put a stop on it, especially in Caye Caulker. That’s a, that Caye Caulker is very special in terms of the quaintness. We want to maintain that. We don’t want to make overdevelopment take over that place, and we have the high rise buildings overtake. And then we compromise the charm of the town. That is something that we’re taking to. So that moratorium is in place right now. And by extension right now we’re working in the San Pedro plan as well to say, “Enough is enough. We want to work with our people. On a Sunday, you have a right to do business, but there are rules and regulations. You cannot be on your own making a dock or putting a platform on the water, setting up a kitchen right by the water, setting up a bar in the water. It’s wrong, right? So we want to do that this coming month of June. But to work, have a meeting with them, it’s not just come in and drop the hammer on them. But they need to know that we need to work together, that we need to correct certain things at Secret Beach. And again, back to what you said, the high-rise building is something that we’re looking at as well.”

 

Reporter

“And do you consider that the government and all the different authorities actually have the human resources? Because that’s been a limitation in the past to be going to all these construction sites to ensure that they comply with the moratorium.”

 

Andre Perez

“Agree, and that is why we are doing that. The limited resources we have, so we are taking approach of all the relevant, relevant departments to come together in one meeting. So when we move together, we move representing everybody. So we conserve our energies and human resources to tackle everything with all departments, health department, the mining department, DOE, everybody to come in, and we go and look at everything, not only San Pedro, but Caye Caulker as well.” 

 

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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