Taking a Stance against Dirty Industries

At noon on Saturday, hundreds of Belizeans created symbolic barriers against offshore oil drilling to commemorate the BP oil spill of 2010. It is part of OCEANA’s 2019 Hands Across the Sand initiative and today, Communications Director, Alyssa Carnegie shared some comments on the success of the activity which happens simultaneously across the world.

Alyssa Carnegie

Alyssa Carnegie, Communications Director, OCEANA Belize

“We do it every year and it is originally set up after the BP Oil Spill, the effects of which we are still feeling today globally. Belize joins other countries in honouring Hands Across the Sands where we are taking a stance against dirty industries like fossil fuels, especially offshore oil exploration and offshore oil industry and saying yes to cleaner alternatives—to like wind to solar and looking for those types of solutions, saying yes to sustainability. So we are really excited. A little over a year ago, the Belize government passed what we call the People’s Law in terms of the moratorium on offshore oil exploration and the offshore oil industry in Belize and we are very happy to see that Belizeans are still passionate about the issue that even after that, they are still committed to maintaining Belize’s marine resources and preserving it for future generations.”