They want to ban offshore drilling in Belize and that's why Oceana Belize is applauding what it describes as President Obama's bold move to institute a new ban on offshore drilling along the country's Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific coasts. Now OCEANA is calling on the Government of Belize to reconsider its position and institute a ban on offshore drilling. The organization's Vice-President, Audrey Matura Shepherd told Seven News whether Belizeans like it or not, decisions made in Washington greatly influence those made in Belmopan.

Audrey Matura Shepard, Vice President of Oceana in Belize
"The other day when the coalition call for a moratorium and then subsequently we call for a ban, the government justification why they say there is no need to rush was that just about before the explosion of the deep water horizon, the Obama administration had release all moratorium and then there was a court hearing, then he instituted a moratorium again and then there was a court hearing again it was challenge and so the government told us see not even the US is instituting a moratorium why should we. So now that the Obama administration has instituted this ban we are going back to our political leaders and say since that was your trend of argument and talk it is of significance. One of the important is that what we have learnt from this experience and what we are seeing through the US decision is that there is a bigger issue. The ban is yes important but is the bigger issue where the US congress and the president in specific has indicated that there is a need to explore renewable sources of energy and in Belize we need to consider how we are developing this industry because they have obviously pointed that their safety record is not that way that all it takes is one disaster for there to be such a negative impact, that's a huge country where they have so much more coast than we do, that situation there in the Belize context is magnified a thousand times."

Channel 7