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Jules Vasquez reports that there was a strong and spirited showing that sent a clear message to Belmopan:

It was standing room only inside the Lion's Den in San Pedro Town last night. The mayor himself was in the front row - while the area rep Andres Perez was absent.

And what he missed is a message of defiance and resentment for the decision making process in Belmopan:

Protestor 1
"We have to join hands and we have to continue this fight that we are not going to allow these people to come and destroy it (applause)."

Protestor 2
"And I want to send a message to the government that these are the people that you need to consult for things like this. Not a small group of business owners or investors."

"No, these are the people, we are the people that you need to consult."

Protestor 3
"Go in Belmopan, we're gonna go and tackle the minister of finance, we're gonna go and tackle the minister of tourism, we're gonna go and fight because we need to stand together."

Complete with visual props the theme for the evening might have been "emotional" - pulled from this interview by the CEO of Blue Economy -

Beverly Wade, CEO, Blue Economy & Marine Conservation
"Cayo Rosario is a very emotional matter"

Townspeople feel that remark was dismissive of the community's passion for its surrounding environment:

Roberto Canul, San Pedro Tour Operators Association
"Seeing everybody that is here representing and standing with us, it really means a lot to us. IT means a lot because it means that we are emotional but we are united."

Protestor 4
"And we're emotional because if not now, when? When the last reef is dredged? When the last mangrove is cleared? If not now, when? This is when we have to come together."

And coming together with them last night were national conservation groups:

Alyssa Noble, OCEANA Belize
"Seeing all of you here, shows that this is more than just conservation, this is about home, this is about survival, we get it, you get it."

Eworth Garbutt, Belize Flat Fishery Association
"We're living in the last days to save what is left for the next generation. Dead serious. If not now, when?"

"It really crucial when you have a government who is saying exactly what they are not doing. This serious. Serious time today!"

Nadia Bood, World Wildlife Fund
"When communities are effectively engaged, change will happen."

And for these townspeople, it wasn't only Cayo Rosario, but a variety of issues - they feel they are losing their island to speculators and interlopers:

Protestor 5
"Cayo Rosario, the destruction that is being done by the dredging. The alarming amount of mangroves that are being destroyed every single day, and that has been happening for years, but to where either is now, what we are seeing today, it is extreme, with no control."

"We are seeing unsustainable development by greed, by people that just want to fill their pockets."

Protestor 6
"We've been over and over saying no to dredging, and you guys still do it. How dumb are you you, how dumb are we to accept it?"

Protestor 7
"Forget parties, forget colors and represent your people that's what you wer put there to do (applause)."

One politician who heard that was Mayor Wally Nunez - he made it clear which side he's on:

Wally Nunez, Mayor - San Pedro
"We can voice out to the government and to everybody else that we're together as a community. This is not about party politics, thi is not about colors. And this is not about pointing fingers as to who approved or who didn;t approve. This is, we need to fight so that this one doesn't happen. So, I am here with you all so that we fight together."

And at the end of it - all the signs were placed up front - a powerful show of collective, organic resistance to Cayo Rosario - Belmopan would be unwise not pay close attention to this community's cry.

And it's not all just signs and talk, the groups organizing the event say they have a three point plan of action including the documentation and airing of videos demonstrating environmental destruction.