Julius Espat Calls for Unity to Protect Chiquibul Forest

Cayo South Area Representative Julius Espat is calling for unity when it comes to protecting the Chiquibul. His comments follow Tuesday’s Senate meeting, where NGO Senator Janelle Chanona accused the government of frustrating the work of Friends for Conservation and Development. Those remarks were likely sparked by a lengthy statement from Bulridge Limited, which defended its legal mandate and long-standing commitment to sustainable forest management in the Chiquibul, while drawing comparisons to FCD’s work. So, what’s Espat’s take on all this?

 

Julius Espat, Area Representative, Cayo South

“I know both companies, Bullridge, I know what they do and I know FCD. But it is like us in Belize we kind of quarrel among ourselves but at the end of the day government respect both because both of them are doing really good work. I have been in the Chiquibul personally with FCD and those guys are awesome. Bullridge I assume are doing their work too. I think it will work out. It is like ministries and their turfs, I think it is the same with them. Every decision we make has to be for the benefit of Belize. In your family you have discussions about which brother or sister should get the larger meal when you sit around the table. It is just a matter of the parent sitting down and saying guys let us work together, let us sit down and do it for the benefit of the Belizean people. But I am not involved in that.”