Mayor Gualberto ‘Wally’ Nuñez was called out by Hol Chan Marine Reserve’s Executive Director, Ian Pou, for having issued a no-objection letter for a dredging project near the Mexico Rocks marine protected area north of San Pedro Town. Pou made the declaration after a letter issued by a coalition of tourism stakeholders calling for his resignation mentioned the Mayor as one of the supporters of the move.
Pou noted that Hol Chan also provided a no-objection letter for the project in question. He questioned Mayor Nuñez’s support of the calls for his resignation, given that he and the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) had also issued a no-objection letter. The project is a small-scale dredging initiative aimed at removing 4,000 cubic yards of material to create an access channel for barges. Pou acknowledged the concerns but explained that the area being dredged is not within the protected zone under the jurisdiction of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. He explained that because the dredging is not occurring within the reserve, the no-objection letter was issued. He also clarified the conditions of a no-objection letter.
“A no-objection letter does not provide any applicant with an automatic permit. The no-objection letter is for the applicant to apply to the different departments for the required permits needed to allow the project’s development,” Pou explained. He added that their primary role is to ensure that projects comply with the conditions of their permits.
Pou revealed the no-objection letter from the SPTC during a live feed on his social media page. The letter, dated December 4, 2024, has the subject “No Objection Letter for Dredging to Build a Barge Landing.” The letter, on behalf of the SPTC, formally confirmed that the council had no objection to the said project. Mayor Nuñez has not confirmed whether he and his team provided such a letter; however, the document appears to bear his signature.
Mayor Nuñez issued a statement clarifying the issue. In a post leading up to his official note, the Mayor stated, “We were included as a signatory in a letter from the community coalition raising concerns about the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. We realize that it may be considered unprecedented, but the statement was considered of the utmost importance by the coalition leaders, and we stand with our community leaders and our wider community—always.”
The statement began by emphasizing the Mayor’s and the SPTC’s commitment to always support island tour guides and the broader community in conservation and development. The note emphasized their advocacy for the greater good of Ambergris Caye and the openness of the local administration to collaborate with all stakeholders in finding the right balance between development and conservation.
The statement includes several subheadings, one of which addresses the no-objection letters. In this regard, the statement noted that before a no-objection letter is issued, essential aspects within the council’s mandate are considered. They also consider whether a particular development will affect the council’s ability to provide services to residents. The Mayor, in the statement, agreed with Hol Chan that a no-objection letter is not an approval. The stakeholders in the coalition calling out the dredging activities at the marine protected area north of San Pedro thanked the Mayor for his support.
The dredging operation near the Mexico Rocks protected area came under intense public scrutiny on June 13th after aerial images circulated on social media showing sediment plumes drifting toward the reef. In response to public concern, the Department of the Environment stated that the project had received environmental clearance and a dredging permit from the Mining Unit.
The dredging activity is expected to be completed in the coming days, facilitating the passage of barges transporting construction materials and other goods. It remains to be seen whether the barge landing will have any effects on the nearby marine reserve and barrier reef.
