I have to admit I went to see the finish of the La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge and as a Belizean I was seriously ashamed of the amount of trash floating in the Belize River and equally if not more on the river banks.

For the squeamish people I won't tell you all that I saw floating but it was really nasty.

They claim to have people from all over the world coming to Belize to participate in this race. What are we trying to show them that we can paddle through toxic waste water in Belize? I admit I would not want to touch, be in or even get wet with that water after what I saw today.

Civic Pride is not very common in Belize.

These same Belizeans who litter in Belize would go to other countries and adhere to policies and put trash in its proper receptacle. Belizeans need to respect Belize as much as they respect policies and laws in other countries. Belize really needs to start enforcing the $500 fine on littering.

Will Moreno