Placencia Demands Answers as Mystery Dredging Targets Sensitive Lagoon

Something suspicious is stirring in the Placencia Lagoon and no one seems to know who’s responsible. An unidentified dredging operation has caught the attention of researchers and residents, raising alarms about safety and environmental impact. Boat operators say the site is unmarked at night, turning a vital waterway into a potential hazard. Now, community members are demanding answers. News Five spoke with Dr. Marisa Tellez, Executive Director of the Placencia-based Crocodile Research Coalition, who warns the area being dredged is far more sensitive and significant than it may appear.

 

Dr. Marisa Tellez, Executive Director, Crocodile Research Coalition

“One of the issues that really broke my heart when I discovered about the dredging that was happening in this particular area in the Placencia Lagoon is about two years ago, myself and a manatee researcher, Dr. Eric Ramos, we had discovered that this particular area was a hotspot for manatees feeding in this area. And we published a paper about watching 20 manatees at a time feeding in this particular area and feeding on a sea grass, a particular species of sea grass that’s never been documented before for the manatee.  And we know that the manatee in Belize right now, it is struggling because of habitat disturbance, because of developments. It is impacting their feeding grounds. From what I understand, there is a particular contractor that is dredging in this lagoon that also has… There’s been issues with him illegally, or with this contractor, illegally dredging in other areas as well. There needs to be permits. I think one of the things that needs to happen when there is something of this particular impact on the environment, especially when it comes to dredging, the community needs to know. Whether it’s an NGO or whether it’s just communities, they should be contacted because we understand what is good for the environment, and what is good for the environment is also good for communities, because we are all intertwined, especially in the Placencia area, when livelihoods depend on tourism, when livelihoods depend on fishing.”

 

Silence from Authorities as Dredging Persists in Sensitive Waters

 

And while environmental groups warn about the impact on manatee feeding grounds, others in Placencia say the bigger issue is the lack of answers. Community members report the dredging first emerged on Monday and continues even now, but no one seems to know who is behind it. The Southern Environmental Association says they’ve been pressing authorities for clarity.

 

Shane Young, Executive Director,  Southern Environmental Association

“We’re trying to ask the relevant authority what is going on. Since yesterday we’ve received reports that there is a dredging operation happening within the Placencia Lagoon. So we have written the relevant authorities trying to seek clarity in terms of what type of permit was issued and who’s the developer, any information that could help. To date we haven’t received a response, but I understand that they have received the message and they’re mobilizing to do an inspection of the site. From up to this interview I can assure you that there’s no one on the ground. You know, we have community members feeding us information on the ground. And as I speak the dredging operation is still ongoing. We don’t know what the development is. We really don’t know. Is it dredging to fill land? Is it a causeway? We don’t know. And we were asking for answers. I think we deserve that much.”

 

The Department of Environment told News Five that a team will be sent to inspect the site tomorrow and that a response will follow. We’ll continue following this story.

 

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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