Cattle Landing Residents Oppose Cell Tower Citing Health Concerns, Demand Consultation

Several residents from Cattle Landing Village, Toledo are opposing the construction of a cell tower in their community. The residents say the village’s council didn’t consult them and believe the tower poses a risk to their health. Today, one villager called into The Morning Show expressing concern about its proximity to the community center and claimed the tower could affect their health. While there is no evidence to show that waves from cell towers cause harm to humans, the residents want the tower gone. We spoke to the community’s Chairman Waluco Maheia about the situation. 

Paul Mahung, Toledo Corespondent:The erection of a BTL tower in Cattle Landing Village with approval from the village council has stirred interest as expressed by a villager on to Love’s Thursday Morning Show highlighting concerns regarding possible health risks and hazards, community level consultations and close proximity of the tower to the village community center. Love News caught up with Cattle Landing Village Council Chairman Waluco Mejia.

Waluco Mejia, Cattle Landing Village Chairman: “About three to four months ago BTL personnel and authorities reached out to Cattle Landing questioning about the possibility of placing a cell tower there in the village. Precisely next to the community center. Well thinking this is a good idea our village council members and myself discussed this opportunity, I thought would be a great idea, great initiative. Cattle Landing Village is in what we call a dead zone, we don’t have great cell service in that area, it’s a very active community and really for as long as I could remember over twenty years we’ve had very poor cell service in that area. Which is not a good thing for the residents of Cattle Landing and also the businesses. This cell tower would provide cell service to Cattle Landing Village and also the people and fisherfolk that traverse between Punta Gorda, Cattle Landing, Rio Grande River and out to the Snake Cayes so there is a lot of benefit there. Not to mention BTL also offers a rental fee for occupying the space. There’s a lot of initiatives that we take on within the community like maintaining a beautiful and scenic football field, community center and the yard so this would generate a consistent monthly income for the community, for the village council and for maintaining and up keeping the community. The fee that we would be receiving as Cattle Landing Village would be $500 monthly so there is a lot of benefit to the cell tower in that area.”

Paul Mahung, Toledo Corespondent: You’re aquatinted with the possible health hazards ? 

Waluco Mejia, Cattle Landing Village Chairman: “Yes we are familiar with potential health hazards of cell towers however cell towers do not produce the type of radiation that would be harmful to humans. It is what we call non ionized radiation. So we were aware, there are some studies out there but nothing fully concrete to say that cell towers definitely have a health impact on humans. Not to mention BTL is a huge company and they have guidelines and regulations that they need to follow. This cell tower is not the first one in Belize, there are many cell towers present.”

Paul Mahung, Toledo Corespondent: ” The tower is seen from afar as it now joins other visible landmarks in historical partly inland and coastal community of Cattle Landing along the scenic seaside at the northern entrance of Punta Gorda.

We noted that there have been no medical cases of persons in the country being affected by cell towers.