Opposition Blindsided by Passage of Sustainable Ocean Plan

The government says the Belize Sustainable Ocean Plan will help protect the country’s waters while unlocking opportunities for development. The Opposition, however, says a plan this important deserves more than an overnight review. Prime Minister John Briceño introduced the motion earlier today, seeking approval for a framework that covers Belize’s internal waters, territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone as part of the Blue Bond agreement. But Opposition members say they received the papers only hours before the debate, limiting their ability to scrutinize the document, consult stakeholders and contribute meaningfully to decisions that could affect Belize’s marine resources and economy for decades.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Whereas the conservation funding agreement entered into by the Government of Belize and incorporated into the Blue Bonds Act Number twenty-eight of 2021 requires under milestone six that no later than five years after the signing of the agreement, the National Assembly shall approve and the government shall formally sign into law and gazette biodiversity protection zones covering a total of thirty percent of the oceans of Belize or such percentage as is stated in the marine special plan.”

 

Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“The question is, what is the emergency? Why is it that we know for so long that this milestone would have to be approved at a certain time, does the members of the Opposition does not get sufficient time to review, to examine and to provide our input. Madam Speaker, we vehemently object to this lack pf respect and consideration shown to this legislature. Presenting a report of this magnitude at the eleventh hour and expecting its approval treats parliament as a rubber stamp to the executive.”

 

 

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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