Another offshore referendum stage complete
Turning to the referendum on offshore oil exploration; it has been given the official green light as the Office of the Governor General has informed Oceana in Belize that the secondary stage in a series of actions necessary to hold a vote on the issue has been completed. A little over eighteen thousand signatures were forwarded to the Chief Elections Officer on December ninth for scrutiny. The officer will supervise the examination of the signatures before informing the GG as to whether or not they are valid. Last Thursday during a press conference the Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage, through its member agency Oceana, initiated the referendum process by submitting the accumulated signatures to the GG. A request has also been made for the referendum to be held simultaneously with the upcoming municipal elections on March seventh, 2012. The question to be posed in the referendum reads: "Do you agree to oil exploration and drilling offshore and in its protected areas?"
Channel 5 ====================
SIGNATURES FOR REFERENDUM SENT TO CHIEF ELECTIONS OFFICERThe process of realizing a national referendum on offshore drilling has moved one step closer to reality. According to the Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage, Governor General Sir Colville Young has informed the group that he has forwarded the eighteen thousand plus signatures to the Chief Elections Officer. According to a statement from the group, the Chief Elections officer will oversee the vetting of the signatures and will then inform the Governor General whether or not the signatures are valid, and if the 10% threshold of registered voters has been met. Once those requirements have been satisfied, the Governor General is expected to issue a writ of referendum which will announce the national referendum in which all registered voters will get to vote on the issue of offshore oil exploration and drilling in Belize. A week ago, the Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage through Oceana in Belize triggered the Referendum process by delivering over the eighteen thousand signatures to the Governor General's office. As it awaits the outcome of the vetting process, the Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage is wishing all Belizeans a Blessed Christmas and urges Belizeans to give a gift to the country on an anticipated referendum day and vote "No" to oil exploration and drilling in Belize's offshore and in its protected area.
LOVEFM
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