Belize City Mayor Darryl Bradley joined the contestants of Miss Earth Belize this afternoon in a tree planting ceremony in front of the Sandlighter's Promenade.

Mayor Bradley told the media that the council supports these young ladies in promoting a healthy environment:

Darrell Bradley - Mayor, Belize City Council
"Well, Miss Earth Belize Pageant really contacted the City Council, and they invited us to participate in this tree planting ceremony with the contestants, and the Miss Earth is really an international pageant that really tries to promote respect and love for the environment. The City just jumped on the opportunity to just come out to this public space and to really be with these very lovely, talented and intelligent young women to promote a respect for the environment by planting trees. We planted 20 trees in City today, and it really just adds to the public space of Belize City. The city will continue its responsibility. The trees were donated, and we will ensure that we maintain them. It's going to add a nice feel for this particular area of Belize City, which is an area that we want to develop anyway."

Monica Bodden
"Are you guys plant more trees around the City?"

Darrell Bradley
"Yes, we do actually. This is part of a general tree planting program that the City is doing, and when the organizers of the pageant really contacted us, we really jumped on the opportunity to throw our 2 cents into their great initiative to try to really beautify public spaces, not only in Belize, but throughout the world. One of the things which I really like about the Miss Earth Pageant is really that promotion for the love for the environment, and the love for public spaces, and that we can respect our space, which is our earth."

Darlene Clarke Campbell - Director, Belize International Pageant
"We believe in the environment, and a part of that is planting as many trees as possible, keeping the environment clean. We believe in a young, green and clean Belize. We intend to continue planting trees."

Twenty Mahogany trees were planted this afternoon. The Council plants to continue the tree planting project around the city.

Channel 7