Blessing and Dedication
of the Placencia Lagoon
On
Friday, November 27, 2009 at 3:30 PM, Belize clergy blessed and
dedicated the Placencia Lagoon.
This interdenominational and cultural service was held on the
Lagoon side of Serenity Resort.
The service of blessing drew on many traditions and included Garifuna singing, drumming, and dancing, Bible readings in
Kriol, Spanish, Garifuna and English, prayers in Spanish, Garifuna and English, and the singing
of favorite hymns.
The Rt. Revd. Philip Wright (Anglican Bishop of Belize), Pastor Jim
Mensie (Plantation Chapel), Rev. Father Hardie Gordon,
(Placencia St. John's Angelican Church), Rev. Lorna Sampson, and
Seine Bight's Bobby Sanchez's Ligemmari Dance Group were among those
participating in the Lagoon Blessing and Dedication.
Approximately 250 local residents and tourists attended the
Blessing, and we hope the Blessing will become an annual
feature on the Placencia Peninsula calendar.
The service of Blessing focused on the importance of the
mangroves and Lagoon as refuge and breeding grounds for manatee,
dolphins, rays, and a wide variety of other marine life including
fish and lobster, as well as a natural protection of Placencia
Peninsula communities from storms and erosion.
The service also asked God to direct the people of the area in
creating a balance between the needs of development and respect for
natural resources.
See the
December 2009 Roots and Reef for more information about the
Blessing.
Roots and Reef
Roots and Reef
made its debut in
December 2009, and focuses on providing environmental information
to Belize communities. Roots and Reef will be published
every six weeks and will be distributed through local
businesses. The newsletter will also be available on-line on
this site, and by email. (Contact
us to sign up for the newsletter.)
EIA/ECP Reviews and Analyses
PCSD routinely reviews and comments on
environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for proposed developments in
southern Belize (not just for the Placencia Peninsula). PCSD
publishes its comments on-line and also contacts other organizations
and individuals who may have an interest in a proposed development.
PCSD also reviews all environmental compliance
plans (ECPs) for approved developments and makes those ECPs
available on-line so that local residents have assess to them and
can report violations.
EIAs and ECPs can be found on the pages for each
project in our Developments
section.
