S.J.C. holds forum on petroleum industry
On Thursday night, the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall will be filled with oil … or at least discussions about that valuable natural resource. According to officials of St. John’s Junior College student government, the forum, Oil in Belize: Black Gold or Fool’s Gold, is intended to educate citizens about the impact of the budding petroleum industry. Panellists scheduled to speak include Ambrose Tillett, Rufus X, Dr. Gilbert Canton of Belize Natural Energy, consultant Dr. Ram Ramanthan, Andre Cho representing the Geology Department, Martin Alegria of the Department of the Environment as well as Greg Choc from SATIIM and Yiheli Tesfu a physicist from S.J.C. This morning student body president Adrian Torres explained that the event is for citizens of all ages.
Adrian Torres, President, S.J.C. Student Government
?It is a student initiative and we want to personally invite not only just the adults and the workforce but we definitely want to invite all the young generation of Belize and all the students from the different high schools, the different Junior Colleges. Because like I said before, we are the country?s investors, the future investors and it is our responsibility to make sure our investments are handled properly and ethically.?
Yasmine Andrews, Organizer, S.J.C. Oil Forum
?There is definitely and absolutely a lack of accountability or a lack of transparency, meaning there is not a lot of information that people know. Students don?t know, even ordinary citizens, don?t know how much oil we are exporting, we don?t know the cost that we are exporting at and we don?t know where is the money, so that?s the bottom line, those three essential questions. So some of the issues will include taxes and royalties, environmental degradation, is there any safeguard in place, for instance, if there was an oil spill. We are looking at the possibility, futuristic of having an oil refinery for ourselves as Belizeans. And many other issues. The overall objective is to look at this thing from a people?s perspective.?
The oil forum is scheduled to start at eight on Thursday night at Holy Redeemer Parish Hall. Entrance is free.
