While I have refrained to use this column to speak about the work of Oceana in Belize – I find it necessary to make some clarifications because if the people would understand the big picture some of the misinformation being sent around would never stay alive.
Now it is time to kill it… and of course hopefully in the process the mischief-makers being paid to propagate the ignorance would feel some shame if they even have any such inkling in their being.
Malice
It appears more and more to me that the loud, obnoxious and petty mouthpiece of the ruling party is acting out of malice when they intentionally spew untruths like venom from the mouth of a snake. What else could it be after I have gone at lengths to explain to them individually, personally and even on their own station? I do not want to believe it is dumbness…since from the mood, wording and tone it stinks of malice.
However, for those who want to hear the truth it is best I repeat over and over again that Oceana in Belize has never said that there should not be an oil industry and that absolutely there should not be any drilling. Rather our position has clearly been that there should be NO OFFSHORE DRILLING. This means that we believe there should be onshore drilling as is already taking place with BNE. In solidarity with the members of the Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage we also support the call for a ban on drilling in our protected areas. However, I personally have continuously said to the people in those areas that on a case by case situation those living around the protected area and managing them should be involved in discussion with government on anything that will directly impact their area. To me, this is true governance and the wishes of the people MUST BE HEARD. Of course, unless this is not a democracy and is rather a dictatorship then contracts should be kept away from the knowledge of the people in whose backyard the exploration and drilling will take place.
But, as I move around I am amazed at how many people have fallen for the mischief. Honestly, this is a national issue and first we must provide information to people so they can participate fully in the dialogue and decision.
Mischief
Now, it is clear that when people’s gravy train will be directly impacted they go into a mischief mode. The irony of the situation is that had these same mischief-makers were in opposition, they would be singing a different “sankey”. This is sad because it is like we just can’t find people with principles to govern us. Where is their testicular fortitude or as some would say “balls”? Are our political animals supporting when they can get money out of it and oppose it when they can’t? Where are the principles in the matter?
Lets not forget that at page 20 of the UDP manifesto ‘Imagine the possibilities’ it states “The UDP believes that legally and morally the oil resources of Belize belongs to the and must benefit the people of Belize.” Yet one of the first things hey tried to do is amend Section 17 Constitution of Belize to take away our rights to litigate so as to get fair compensation in the event property is taken away or affected as a result of oil exploration and drilling. Of course Sen. Barry Bowen and Landowners Association challenged this in court and helped to re-write the course of our history on this matter.
The issue of oil and Energy was recognized as important in their manifesto that 13 points and promises were made but I will only mention two of the most critical. These are:
The UDP will “..revisit existing exploration and production agreements to guarantee equitable returns to all Belizeans…and offer share in a national oil company to ordinary Belizeans so that the masses of the people can collect dividends and have a personal stake in the national petroleum wealth.” Now this is where nationalization was promised yet not fulfilled so far.
But if these campaign promises would at least be honoured we would have a government that reviews these agreements and understands that while we can drill onshore we just CANNOT drill offshore. Lets explore and exhaust what can be done onshore before we even look towards our waters.
Misunderstanding
I now truly think that lots of the decisions about the oil industry and the subsequent contracts are being dealt with in ignorance. Some basic realities of what it means do to offshore oil exploration are either not known misunderstood or are being ignored because it does not suit the agenda of the proponents. Many who call in different radio shows easily speak about onshore and its potential for oil, but clearly are opposed to our offshore even being touched.
If BP at 5000 meters could not manage a blow out and grappled with stopping this disaster, lets be real about what capacity Belize has and conversely what is the history and experience they bring in offshore oil. Princess is only involved in hotels and casinos, Treaty Energy Corporation, whom it is partnering with has ONLY onshore experience. The only way they can avoid the massive depths is by drilling off the islands and atoll which is severely dangerous, complicated and destructive. In Belize we have three of the only four atolls in this region, namely, Turneffe, Lighthouse and Glovers – do we not recognize the value these are to us and the money they are already netting us and could continue to net us in perpetuity?
Onshore development is less complicated than offshore and surely even less costly to develop – however even offshore we have sacred areas – the most sacred being our watersheds – the lifeline our country and existence. Using a moderate industry base cost – if we are to believe Petroleum & Geology that there is 150-400M barrels of reserve offshore, and then at US10.00 per barrel for development of each barrel we would need US$ 1.5 to 4.0 Billon (Bz $3-8Billion) to develop such reserve. But there is no proof that such reserve exist, thus we are gambling what we have for sure (all marine resources) for what we do not even know if it exists.
Yet in the recent Option Agreement signed between Princess and Treaty Energy Corporation is silent on how much will be invested. However the Production sharing Agreement between Princess Petroleum and GOB says that in that by October 2011 all Princess needs to have expended for exploration is US100,000.00 – not even quarter million in Belizean currency. Yet this is an industry which it is said will bring us jobs and money. For the fours years of the contract so far we are still waiting to see the money. During this phase there are no royalty nor taxes benefiting us. The surface rental is US 15 cents per acres. The Administration fee is US$10,000.00.
More To Consider
There is surely a miscommunication, misinformation and a great misunderstanding of what Belizeans will get. Of course it would be sad if we have to wait until a decade to let people see that they have been duped – just like how we were told electricity rates would go down if we build the dams on the Macal River – same way it seems we want to learn the hard way again. The only problem is that in the process we risk and endanger our national pride – our beloved barrier reef, which internationally is our identity and jewel.
Now Princess is smart, since under it new agreement with Treaty Energy it made sure that they do not take the financial risk and they contracted that each have a 50/50 participating interest which also determines rights and interest in and under the contract, joint property and hydrocarbons. This is interesting because between Princess and government the sharing is skewed in favour of Princess.
Also, Belizeans stop and think (pause here) – if we have THE LONGEST LIVING BARRIER REEF – why aren’t we producing more marine biologist with PhD’s, more marine researchers? Why aren’t we turning Belize into a world renown scientific community and research centre using our reef and other marine resources? There is money in this area – we can become such an educational international country and this would raise the standard of living and education amongst our people! Taiwan that has far less than we do has become one of the Mecca for resource management education. We have a living classroom and lab in our backyard and only the foreign scientist seem to appreciate its value and come here for centuries studying it.
Or could it be that all this malice, mischief and misunderstanding is to keep our people, poor, uneducated and uninformed so we can control them through ignorance. Do we keep our people down so that a few interested get rich on their natural wealth. Why don’t we tech our children to love and respect our natural resources and feel and affinity for it? I say it is no coincidence – its modern day slavery and colonialization!
– Belize News Commentary by Audrey Matura Shepard attorney-at-law.
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