Oceana Belize-Mrs. Audrey Matura-Shepherd
The polls opened this morning nationwide at 6:00 a.m. and will be closed at
8:00 p.m. There are 48 polling stations, two of them mobile; one in the Toledo
District and the other in the Belize District. The fourteen hours time-frame will allow registered voters to participate in the first ever People’s
Referendum. Those who are not registered are being asked to sign a petition
against offshore drilling. There will be only one question asked in the People’s Referendum. The
Yes or No question as follows: Should Belize
Allow Oil Exploration and Drilling Offshore?
Oceana Belize and referendum supporter- Tessa Westby
This effort by head of Oceana Belize Mrs. Audrey Matura-Shepherd and the
Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage is as a result of monumental and
unprecedented efforts to get Belize’s leaders to engage the people of this
country in what Belize’s direction in offshore oil should be. “The People’s
Referendum is in response to the government’s outright unwillingness to even
discuss the issue, much less seek a legitimate mandate from the voting
population, this is solely a people's movement initiative", explained Coalition member Audrey Matura-Shepherd.
“Besides encouraging Belizeans’
participation by voting, we also ask that they pray for God’s blessings on this
great endeavor in participatory democracy. We are greatly encouraged by
the support we have received and want to thank all those who have contributed
in cash or kind to the effort,” Matura-Shepherd added.
Wednesday February 29, 2012, is the first ever People’s Referendum.
Source: Ambergris Today
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