Archived press release

Privy Council Rules Against Belize Dam Challenge

29 January 2004

The latest round in the three-year battle over plans to build a dam on the Upper Macal River in Belize concluded today with the Privy Council's rejection of a challenge by Belizean environmentalists to their Government's environmental approval of the project.

Tony Garel, Chairman of BACONGO, the coalition of environmental groups fighting the proposed dam, said:

"This is a setback, but we won't stop until we get the truth about this project. In its comments on the case the Privy Council was highly critical of the Belizean Government, calling into question its honesty and integrity. It is clear from the court's decision today that Fortis and the government have tried to keep the public in the dark. The courts already forced Fortis to reveal its secret contract with the government and admit that it was wrong about the foundations that they want to build on. This project will unravel when the full truth comes out."

Friends of the Earth Dam Campaigner Hannah Griffiths said:

"This ruling shows the urgent need for better laws to hold companies accountable for the things they say and do. It is appalling that AMEC's environmental report still stands. Saying that the dam's foundations are granite doesn't make them granite - and the companies should not be allowed to get away with their error."

Notes

The upper Macal River Valley is one of the largest undisturbed wilderness areas left in Central America. It is home to an extraordinary array of rare and endangered species, including jaguars, tapirs, and the last 200 scarlet macaws left in the country. Leading biologists at who have studied the area said that the proposed dam would irreversibly damage this biological gem and urged that the dam not be built.

BECOL, a Belizean subsidiary of Fortis, a Canadian multinational corporation, plans to build the dam and to sell the power to Belize Electricity Limited (BEL), the sole Belizean utility also owned by Fortis. In January 2002, BACONGO, a coalition of environmental groups in Belize, initiated legal action to overturn the environmental impact assessment for the project. The assessment, carried out by AMEC, a giant worldwide consulting firm headquartered in London, has been harshly criticised by scientific, technical and economic experts.

BACONGO brought their case to the Privy Council, the final court of appeal for many commonwealth countries, in December 2003.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust