Mayan leader elected as Senate rep for N.G.O.s …

The process was long coming for the N.G.O.s as it would be the first time they would have a seat in the senate. And this morning according to their plan, APAMO, a grouping of environmental N.G.O.s, together with other N.G.O.s joined forces to elect a representative to the senate. Gregory Ch’oc, a Mayan leader and Director of SATIM, was elected beating Joan Burke of the B.F.L.A. and Ernest Castro of the Belize Garifuna Council.

Gregory Ch’oc, Nominee for N.G.O. Senate
“One of the most important issue that I think we all need to work on and I want to put my time and effort into is to change the mindset that exists right now with respect to the work of organization. I think a lot of people and particular the government and politicians have yet to recognise and value the contribution and the work of the N.G.O. community. I think we are doing a significant amount of work bridging the gap that exists.”

Edilberto Romero, Chairman, APAMO
“Today is a historic day for the N.G.O.s because today we are electing the representative of the N.G.O.s that will be on the senate.”

Duane Moody
“How did this come about?”

Edilberto Romero
“Well, as a result of the promises of the current government during elections, APAMO got in touch with all the leaders of the networks. The leaders of the N.G.O. networks agreed that APAMO lead a process to elect the senate NGO and to demand from the government to provide that seat that they promised. So they‘re fulfilling that and the N.G.O.s advisory committee, led by APAMO, has been developing the process the criteria and today is basically the culmination of that process.”

Belize has ninety-four registered N.G.O.s but because of the criteria employed, only twenty-five were eligible to vote.