Hands Across The Sand against Off Shore Exploration
Thursday, May 14th, 2015
On Saturday May 16th, residents of Ambergris Caye are cordially invited to attend a special event called “Hands Across the Sand”, which will commence at 12 midday on the beach in front of the San Pedro High School (Boca del Rio). It is a global event in solidarity against offshore oil drilling, and it consists of participants holding hands together for a short period of 15 minutes.
According to Oceana Belize Field Coordinator for the Cayes Roxanne Perez Gentle, the message behind the event is to create a sense of awareness in the general public that we need to protect our environment. “We will hold hands to advocate for our natural resources, the water we drink, the air we breathe and our eco-systems. We need to stop depending on filthy fuel and look ahead to a productive clean energy future.” Gentle said via phone interview.
Hands Across the Sand campaign began in 2010, and grew into an international movement after the BP Oil spill in the gulf of Mexico in April of that year. Since then, people come together to join hands and form symbolic barriers against oil spills, and to make a stand against the impact of other forms of hazardous energy.
In the past year, environmentalists in Belize have been protesting against the Government of Belize’s consideration of offshore drilling. While the Government of Belize has not finalized any decision on off shore oil exploration and drilling, the Geology and Petroleum Department has been drafting a Petroleum Exploration Zones and Exploration Guidelines that include off shore oil concessions.
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Can someone do a cut out of me with hands so I can be there in spirit!? Gosh, I wish I could fly down there this weekend! Shoot!!! Please know I’m there in spirit!
How about getting ribbons with the name of the person that can’t be there but wants to support this? You might get a 100 more people there in spirit and the ribbon would be a good visual representative that people can hold on to like hands! Just one more link in the chain. I know it’s short notice, but put out the word! I’d like a ribbon with my name one it and so would my husband…Susan and Randy Watts support no off shore oil drilling!
Yes. We need to go out there and say no to oil pollution and damages.
Those big oil companies are known to pollute the area and leave the residents suffering from pollution-related illnesses while they rake away the financial benefits for themselves. Our politicians are not capable of guiding and controlling those companies. We have seen what happened in other countries in the world. Just look at Mexico as an example. Their territory is being damaged by oil spills and the Mexican people remain poor.