Sharon Matola was American born but is now a proud citizen of Belize. Matola is known for a variety of issues surrounding her passion for animals and the Belizean environment. Matola’s many noteworthy efforts to save the endangered Scarlet Macaw (including her book “The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw”) her influential part in the Belize radio station, creating of the only zoo in Belize, and her strong opinion on the Chaillilo dam are only a few of the things that shape the character of ms. Matola. Sharon Matola is a strong out spoken women, so there are a few issues in Belize that really push her buttons.
There is a plunder of controversy surrounding the economic and environmental impacts of the Chaillilo dam and being the biocentric women that ms. Matola is, her first arguments against the dam would be based on her passion for the environment. The environmental impacts of the Chaillio dam are devastating they include: hindering of reproduction and life cycles of reproduction and feeding of stream dwelling organisms, the chemistry of the stream is also greatly affected with the methane, hydrogen sulfide released into the water from the decomposing organic matter that isn’t able to receive oxygen. The dam does far more than just hinder the life of stream dwelling organisms but it has a whole other world of destruction for the creatures inhabited near the stream. The site of the Chaillilo dam that was flooded was the only known nesting site for the Scarlet Macaw. So this is where is gets personal for Sharon. The magnificent Scarlet Macaw that Ms. Matola is so passionate about may disappear due to the raping of its habitat. The dam also flooded an environment that a plethora of other creatures were dependent upon the stream area for food and for a place to call home.
Just this information alone would be enough certainly for Ms. Matola and for many other people to reject the Chaillilo dam, however the economic incentives the Chaillilo dam brings to Belize do not even come close to justifying it’s terrorizing of the environment.
Before touching on this issue it would first be important to point out the frustration that Sharon Matola encounters when arguing against the Chaillio dam. Sharon, being a Caucasian, American born woman Sharon faces the typical argument of “She doesn’t care about the people of Belize, she just a gringa interested in keeping the animals around to attract tourism.” Such a viewpoint towards Caucasians can be captured in the texts “New Missionaries” and “The Tourists are Coming,” by Trapasso. Belize history and present day life has been manipulated by eco tourism and the “environmentalists,” also sarcastically referred to as the “new missionaries.” Present day San Pedro has become so engulfed in tourism that the people who once called it home were displaced because of the sky rocketing standard of living. Through the “New Missionaries” text there is also an example of the Belizean people being displaced in light of environmental reasons. The Cockscomb jaguar preserve was created in 1984 in order to “save” the jaguars. This ultimately led to the displacing of the Maya people inhabiting the area, and ironically enough all the jaguars that were captured for the preserve died or were killed during that time. So economically speaking the Chaillilo dam was initially to be built in order that the citizens of Belize have cheaper energy, and in order that they would not be depending on Mexico for the entirety or their energy needs. Turns out that the dam is actually increasing the monthly energy bill for Belizeans, so now the people of Belize are left with billion of dollars on loans from the world bank (interest at 12%) a hurting river ecosystem, and a heavier monthly energy bill. Given all of this clearly Sharon Matola has a heavy heart, but even amongst the dark outlook of the Chaillio dam Sharon is still frustrated, but nonetheless is still outspoken about her passion for making life better for both the animals, and people of Belize.
Here you see the Chaillilo dam which flooded Belize's only known nesting site for the Scarlet Macaw.
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