Patti Griffin
The Troubador
November 30, 2001

TV and newspaper ads are now part of a nationwide campaign aimed at pressuring Fortis Inc. to abort its plan to construct a $30 million hydroelectric dam in a Central American rainforest in Belize.

These and other ads are part of a nationwide campaign aimed at pressuring Fortis Inc.,a billion dollar Canadian company based in St. John’s, Newfoundland to abort its plan to construct a $30 million hydroelectric dam in a Central American rainforest in Belize.

Those involved in the campaign are: the Sierra Club of Canada, Probe International, BACONGO- an alliance of conservation groups in Belize, Central America- Newfoundland’s Humber Environment Action Group, Action Environment, Ryakuga, and the Washington- based Natural Resources Defense Council. Adding their voices are children and students of Newfoundland, also eager to share the effort.

The Macal River Valley is located in a small country called Belize. It’s an area that is amazingly untouched and part of the dwindling percentage of rainforest left in Central America. It is also home to several very rare species of animals.

BACONGO says several species in the rainforest are at risk of extinction, including the scarlet macaw, a large colorful parrot of which there are fewer than 200 individuals remaining. Also at risk are tapirs, cougars, jaguars and morelet crocodiles among others.

Fortis, in cooperation with the government of Belize, is proposing to flood 22 miles of the Macal River Valley stating that the construction of the Chaillo dam would provide much needed electricity to Belize and also relieve the area of its known flash-flooding.

The government of Belize holds that those against the project are “environmental extremists,” and Fortis claims its company would not carry out any project that was environmentally unsound or had significant impacts on wildlife.

Fortis has a 67 percent interest in Belize Electricity Ltd. and also holds a 95 percent interest in the Belize Electric Co. Ltd., a generating plant which supplies Belize electricity.

Scientists from all over the world including Canadian scientist Dr. David Suzuki have joined forces in addressing H.Stanley Marshall, the president and CEO of Fortis Inc. With nearly a century of experience with dams in tropical environments, these scientists state that “….the Chalillo dam would impact the ecosystem of the region and many of the species which inhabit it. The preponderance of existing evidence indicates that these impacts would be significant and long-lasting.”

Many citizens of Belize say that tourism is a big part of their economy and that the attraction of Belize rests in its ecotourism. The Macal River Valley is untouched, providing a natural, living, breathing habitat for unique species of animals. It’s this lush and unique region that attracts tourists. Citizens are also concerned because Belize was historically a centre of the Mayan Civilization and the valley is believed to contain many ancient and undiscovered ruins. As well, citizens have pointed to a previous dam construction, the Mallejon, where some downstream communities experienced water contamination.

A recent campaign has been underway all across Newfoundland involving school children. Pennies for Parrots is a campaign developed by Ryacuga Communications. It includes video footage of the Macal Valley and the animals that live there, as well as interviews with Belize residents and members of the Belize Environmental Coalition-BACONGO .

The campaign also calls on all students of Newfoundland to become involved by writing letters, drawing pictures and making posters telling Fortis CEO Stan Marshall not to destroy the rainforest for his own financial profit. In addition, the students will add pennies as compensation for saving the parrots.

Fred Campbell, owner of Ryacuga, who started the Pennies for Parrots campaign, says it is important to get children involved in these issues because they already know the importance of the environment.

“You don’t have to convince them,” said Campbell. “They will soon be the owners of this planet; they should be involved.”

Lori White, a Grade 10 student at Stephenville High, is doing her part. After viewing the video footage produced by BACONGO, she was moved by the beauty of the untouched region and was astounded that someone would want to destroy such a treasure. She points out that there are very few Macaws left. If the area is flooded, she says, it could eliminate the species completely. Lori has collected fourteen pages of signatures from students and citizens in Stephenville indicating their disapproval of the project, which she is sending to Marshall.

Critics of the project fear the long-term effects of these ventures by big companies on wildlife, habitats, and whole ecosystems. For some local opponents, the idea of a Newfoundland company threatening the natural resources of another country is just too ironic. People like 15-year-old Lori White believes we have to keep complaining.

“The more complaints, the more pennies, the more victories,” she said.

Anyone wanting to find out more about the issue can do so by accessing the following websites:
www.penniesforparrots.org
www.fortis.ca