Government to Compulsorily Acquire Will Bauer Flats for Marine Conservation

The Briceno Administration has moved to compulsory acquire Will Bauer Flats. For months, fishers fought to stop the construction of a resort in the area and called on the government to protect the marine ecosystem. The government has since listened to their concerns and announced that it will acquire the land for the public purpose of marine conservation and development. The government noted that the proposed developers, Angel Fish Caye LLC, who had received the necessary approval from the National Environmental Appraisal Committee (NEAC), will now be compensated for the land. Prime Minister John Briceno spoke on the decision and say something had to be done to address the environmental concerns.

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “It’s unfortunate that it went through the whole process and it’s unfortunate also that the fisher folks, the Fly Fishing Association, did not alert us early to be able to stop that development. There’s the NEAC, the people went through the entire process. But now that they’re starting to develop it we see now a number of people saying that is one of the best fly fishing areas and so we need to protect it and there was no option but to be able to compulsorily acquire that so that then the government can protect it and I hope for generations to come.”

Two of the environmentalists leading the charge had been slapped with criminal charges relating to the demonstrations they held.  Will Bauer Flats is located off the coast of Placencia in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve, called Angelfish Caye. The flat that surrounds the Caye has been named the Will Bauer Flat.