Belize City, February 9th, 2011
Prime Minister Dean Barrow announced today that he is giving the organisations calling for a referendum on the offshore oil exploration issue, a 3-month deadline to get the number of signatures required to legitimise the process.
Barrow was speaking at his first quarterly press conference of 2011, in which he reiterated that he was not prepared to go against the oil companies conducting oil exploration in offshore areas.
The Prime Minister said, in response to a question about the call for a referendum, that he puts the onus on the organisations. "If they get the signatures, naturally, they will get the referendum".
The Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage is spearheading the referendum idea. Under the banner of the organisation are groups such as COLA, Oceana, Belizeans for Justice and the BTIA.
The group has gathered under 5,000 signatures, but some 18,000 is needed. Today it learnt that it will get a huge hand in the lobby. The People's United Party announced this afternoon that it supports and echoes the call for a referendum. In a release, Party Leader John Briceño indicates that "the Right of Belizeans to decide on whether to allow oil exploration and drilling in the offshore and protected areas of Belize is guaranteed by the constitution."
Joining the movement, means the PUP will get their thousands of supporters to sign the petition asking for a referendum. And more than just calling, the PUP will use its organs (the BELIZE TIMES and Vibes Radio) to inform Belizeans about the issue.
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Source: The Belize Times
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