BTV Spreads Awareness on Border Issues to Belize City Youths
Wil Maheia
On the heels of those letters, BTV front man Wil Maheia was present in Belize City today where he addressed a gathering of youth apprentices on the Belize/Guatemala issue. Maheia and his territorial volunteers have aligned themselves with COLA in demanding the removal of Wilfred “Sedi” Elrington from office. This morning, however, it was all about educating the youths about Belize’s boundaries.
Wil Maheia, Belize Territorial Volunteers
“The youths are very well informed of this Belize-Guatemala situation. I was really impressed at the questions they asked so I really feel honored to be asked to come to Belize City and speak to these youths about the Belize-Guatemala problem.”
Isani Cayetano
“I understand that you are also unveiling a shirt as well as part of the ongoing awareness campaign that you’ve embarked upon as a founder of the territorial volunteers. Talk to us about how this particular initiative came about?”
Wil Maheia
“Well whenever we go to the border, as you know, we need resources. This border thing is not just a group of people going to the border; this affects Belize. It affects it from an environmental standpoint and an economic standpoint. What is taking place at the border right now…the fact that you even look at construction materials coming through the back so even the businesses in Belize are taking a licking. It used to be only about fishing and logging, but now it is even affecting the economy of the country. Going to the border really takes a lot of resources. The Diaspora, a lot of Belizeans who love this country, they actually cannot be here because of where they live—they live in the states, most of them—so they have lend their support from time to time. We just received a donation of shirts from Mister Sammy Gentle; in the past we’ve received from Alex Gillet, and Raymond Ysaguirre, Rhenae Nunez and Belizeans who live abroad, who wants to show their passion for Belize. They can continue to do that by making donations to the community. Especially when we go to clear the borderlines…when we are clearing and chopping the borderlines, a lot of these people in the villages, they make sacrifices, give up a day or two of their time, they don’t go to their farms. So we try to show some generosity in some way, shape or form, by providing the footwear because you know the terrain is rugged or providing the clothing that is necessary for us to do the actual work of clearing the borderline.”
