| Earlier in the news, we told you that Oceana Belize sounded the alarm bells that the government may be looking into seismic testing, which would likely lead to offshore drilling. However, in a statement by the government, they explained that while the PM had discussed seismic testing, it was with a need to understand the extent of Belize's offshore non-renewable economic resources.
And at the start of this month, at the launch of the Belize Maritime Economy plan, the Blue Economy Director, Maxine Monsanto, reiterated this need, and explained why it was important.
Maxine Monsanto, Blue Economy Director, Ministry of Blue Economy
"What the maritime plan actually provides is option pathways. It states very clearly that currently the country of Belize has a moratorium on offshore oil. But it also states that we need research to gain a better understanding of what it within our maritime space, especially of our offshore areas. So, are Director Cob has said, we're better able to leverage that during negotiations but we're also better able to decide from a policy directive and a national direction how we want to proceed. Currently, we need data and I think it's a running theme through everyone that we need the capacity to building, whether it is capacity building in the institutions, the civil societies, private sectors, our users themselves. They need to understand but we also need the information, the scientific research to say what's there, what the potential is to what we can use and how we use it going forward not simply saying well we're leaving it open, we're leaving it closed. They're saying it has to be based on decision making for this development especially over our blue space which many Belizeans will tell you up front, it is a part of who we are. It is our cultural heritage, it has to be based on evidence, it has to be based on sound science to guide that process."
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