Environmental Threats
and Challenges

Update:  The Ontario Securities Commission has now brought an action against Canyon, HEIR, Marco Caruso, Brent Borland, founder and CEO of Canyon, Wayne Robbins, President of Canyon, Placencia Estates Development, Ltd., Copal Resort Development Group, Rendezvous Island Ltd, The Placencia Marina, Ltd and The Placencia Hotel and Residences, Ltd. for violation of  Ontario's securities laws.  A hearing on the charges is now scheduled for 5 November 2012.  The defendants face possible penalties of up to $1 million in fines per entity and person, to disgorge all amounts received as a result of noncompliance and such other orders as the Ontario Securities Commission deems appropriate. Amended OSC Statement of Allegations, 14 February 2012

PCSD learned on 6 December 2010 that the Belize Department of the Environment (DOE) approved the Panther Golf Course without requiring the developer to do an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and without any public consultation.

DOE recently published environmental compliance plans (ECPs) on its Website at www.doe.gov.belize after having refused since 2010 to release the environmental compliance plan (ECP) for the golf course to PCSD or to private individuals, even though ECPs are public documents, and PCSD filed a formal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request. 

According to promotional materials, Panther Golf Course will be an 18-hole golf course on the Placencia Lagoon.  The overall golf course development will include a hotel, condominium development and residential development - also bordering on the Placencia Lagoon. 

The developer is owned in whole or in part by Marco Caruso, who also owns, in whole or in part, Copal Beach, Rendezvous Caye, The Placencia Hotel and Residences, the Placencia International Airport and the Placencia Marina developments.

Environmental Compliance Plan for Panther Golf Course.

(Note:  the golf course ECP was signed in 2009 and the ECP does include a provision that approval is null and void if the golf course is not "commenced" within one year after the approval.  DOE takes the position that "commencement" includes merely "talking" about design issues. This position by DOE has never been challenged, however.