As we noted at the top, Mayor Paz's remarks come in the context of a radio appearance by the "Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage". The group was on San Pedro as part of a nationwide consultation and public awareness campaign. 7news was at the meeting yesterday evening in San Pedro and Audrey Matura of the Oceana Foundation told the gathering that the collation is on a drive to attract broad-based support.
Attendee at the meeting Cory McDermott told the gathering that someone has to take a stand because the oil companies are coming to take all they can get.
Cory McDermott, San Pedro Resident
"None of these businesses that I know of are Belizean corporations. They are all outside corporations coming in to rape us!"
Audrey Matura Shephed, VP - OCEANA
"We have written the Prime Minister and the Minister of Tourism, the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister of Fisheries to ask them for a meeting because we think that it's one thing to educate the people but we have to be practical that it is best to reach at laest a negotiating table for them to hear officially our position and it is important that we take as many signatures on the petition because the Prime Minister told COLA when COLA was inquiring that you are not speaking for the majority. So we need the signatures to show them that there is a majority that is
against it and that majority has a voice through the coalition. We are like 35 members now and growing. I think the press release should have come out today but I didn't hear the news but the unions have joined forces with us. The National Trade Union Congress, the Teachers Union, The Public Service Union, The Christian Workers Union...am I missing any other one? I think there is another one. But why? Because they realize that what we are saying is not nonsense, we have the
facts, our strength is in the people coming together, getting the money, us having the technical expertise, the legal expertise and prepare not only to protest on the streets but also sit at table with the government officials. You never know, they might see reason in many of the things we say and its not everything we have to fight."
San Pedro was the second meeting; the first was held in Caye Caulker last week. This weekend in Belize City the team will be doing a special presentation to the National Trade Union Congress in Belize City.
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