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Jules Vasquez reporting
"Why is this sudden awakening from the NGO community? All these red lights when this has been extant at least going for three years."

Audrey Matura Shepherd. VP, OCEANA Belize
"I think at least for OCEANA we actually just got access to the information."

Jules Vasquez
"It's something that the conservation community it appears has not been looking at."

Audrey Matura Shepherd
"I don't think we have been looking at it closely simply because we negotiating other issues and we knew eventually we would have to make a decision as to how to deal with this issue. So from OCEANA's perspective, no, it wasn't like one of the top priorities because we had other issues we were dealing with. In general I've been hearing through the other NGO's it was a concern but how much information they have or don't have I am not aware."

Jules Vasquez
"Is the sudden vigilance inspired by the disaster that has unfolded in the Gulf of Mexico?"

Audrey Matura Shepherd
"I think the event in the gulf only heightened the reality of what could happen. The reason we had to make a statement is however is that you cannot keep quiet for too long and you cannot be forever be waiting and waiting for the information. I think the public wanted to know where we stood on that. It was eventual that we had to take a stand in Belize even though we were hoping that things would not have been as bad as we found out that they are. You saw the map, it was totally parceled out, two little white spots you could find, everything else parceled out and I am sure that there are people who are clamoring to get those spots filled in. It is bad in that sense but it is not a foregone matter. It can still be dealt with."

Jules Vasquez
"But how so Audrey, you are both an attorney and a conservationist and you know that agreements have been signed, they are sovereign and enforceable. How can you say we change our mind? Some of them have been signed by this administration."

Audrey Matura Shepherd
"I don't want to comment too much about the legalistic because i would want to the see the nature of the agreements. Yes there are agreements but not all agreements are contracts; all contracts are agreements. We need to see how enforceable and binding they are. We know that in any country policy makers, decision makers can change laws. Yesterday it would have been ok for you to own a BB gun and it's not criminal and they pass a new law and by next week it becomes criminal. So it is not impossible.

"I would really want to see the documents, read them and find the loophole and find out strategically what the government would do. There might be compromises, but one thing we won't compromise is that we will not allow that our natural resources, our marine resources be put in such danger. Where else in the world would you go and find three atolls an entire barrier reef and such a wonderful marine life? Nowhere else in the world, Jules. This is a unique place and we have to preserve it."

The most updated map shows that there are 19 production sharing agreements. The most recent is for BCH international signed on the 25th. March 2010. Six of those are for coastal or offshore sites. The Citizens Organized for Liberation Through Action has written to the prime minister warning him that that, "oil spills have.... destroyed tourism industries and have crushed the livelihood of fishermen....offshore drilling brings up toxic mud, containing poisonous heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, and lead, other poisons such as arsenic and benzene and other radioactive materials." COLA asks the prime minister to ensure that "a study is done to declare certain portions of Belize's land - as off limits for oil exploration because of its sensitive ecosystem."