March 28th, 2003

Court of Appeal Upholds Ruling of Supreme Court of Belize on Chalillo Project


The Court of Appeal yesterday upheld the ruling of the Supreme Court of Belize confirming appropriate approval of the Macal River Upstream Storage Facility (“Chalillo Project”). The earlier ruling by Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh, on December 19, 2002, held that all approvals for the Chalillo Project were in order and that the Department of Environment (“DOE”) should hold a public hearing so that BECOL could further incorporate feedback from the public in carrying out the project. In compliance with Chief Justice Conteh’s ruling, a hearing was held on January 16, 2003.

The ruling of the Court of Appeal marks the third consecutive failure by the environmental group, Belize Alliance for Conservation Non-Government Organizations (“BACONGO”), to stop construction of the Chalillo Project through legal challenges. In June 2002, the Supreme Court dismissed a suit filed by BACONGO against the Public Utilities Commission of Belize and, six months later, Chief Justice Conteh handed down his ruling confirming all approvals by the National Environmental Appraisal Committee and the DOE were in order.

“BECOL has consistently maintained that the Chalillo Project is without doubt the best energy supply option to meet the growing energy demands of Belize,” says BECOL Director, Lynn Young. “We have been diligent in our efforts to ensure BECOL follows all rules and regulations in getting approvals for construction of the Chalillo Project. The Courts have once again vindicated us from all the misleading and spurious claims of BACONGO and the Washington-based Natural Resources Defense Council.”

Young added that the war in Iraq and the strike in Venezuela have had significant impacts on the cost of world oil prices which underscores the importance for countries like Belize to secure energy sources which are not dependent on fossil fuels.