The Ministry of Environment (MiAmbiente) accepted the complaint filed by the Center for Environmental Impact (CIAM) for possible environmental damage on Boná Island.

CIAM’s complaint, filed last Monday, April 15, is based on the cutting down of trees, the opening of a path of penetration inside the island, marked trees and hollows of possible fire tests.

Through a ruling, the Metropolitan Regional Office of MiAmbiente, accepted the complaint and ordered the Verification of Environmental Performance, Forestry and Protected Areas and Biodiversity sections to carry out inspections of Boná Island in order to verify the veracity of the complaint and who may be the responsible. Both sections must submit a report within 20 working days.

Although the complaint presented by CIAM is not against someone specific, but against “whoever is responsible”, Bona island is in the midst of a controversy between environmentalists and the company Bona Pacific Corp, which seeks to develop a petroterminal project.

Despite the fact that the company has a lease of 34.7 hectares within the island with the Mayor’s Office of Taboga, the document was not endorsed by the Comptroller’s Office and an environmental impact study has not yet been carried out.

CIAM has called for a protest in the National Assembly at noon today, when International Earth Day is celebrated.

The company has defended the project and claims that its development has a low environmental impact because the area has already been intervened in previous years and that of the 34 hectares that are part of the contract, 10 hectares will be allocated to a buffer area.