Belizean environmentalists and community leaders gathered May 2 to protest Canadian power company Fortis´ rate hikes and repeated failures to comply with environmental regulations.

The protests came on the eve of  the company´s annual meeting St. John's, Newfoundland .

"Fortis/BECOL has not met its legal obligations in constructing the Chalillo dam and providing for the health and safety of the people, the river, and the environment," said Candy Gonzalez, Vice President of the Belize Institute of Environmental Law and Policy (BIELP).

According to the BIELP, Fortis´ failures have included not monitoring water quality effectively, negligence in wildlife protection and dam safety, as well as not providing the public access to information on its projects and business.