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That declaration made three weeks ago by the Prime Minister has incensed conservation NGO's and they today held a press conference in Belize City where the rage quotient was very high. Jules Vasquez reports.

Geovanni Brackett, Coalition Chairman
"It is time for our people to rise up. It is only when we come together and move in the direction of unity and be willing to pay the price and make the sacrifice for freedom that we will see justice roll in this nation, that we will see liberation visit our people."

Jules Vasquez Reporting
That strident call to arms is due, in some part, to this interview given by the Prime Minister on January 6th:

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"In terms of the national parks we are hopeful that the US Capital Energy people in the south will be able to proceed. Everything is coming up roses in terms of seismic that has been shot and that sort of thing, and, I am telling you, since that matter already went to court, if they say they are ready to drill they will be allowed to drill!"

SATIIM co-manages that park and Chairman Greg Ch'oc says Government also has to consider its conservation obligations:

Greg Ch'oc, Chairman SATIIM
"To drill or not to drill. These are the questions that we as Belizeans in the spirit of nationalism cannot afford our political leaders to answer for us. Our government's 'drill baby, drill' position has only what the Prime Minister calls a legitimate contract as its basis. It cannot be economic as its common knowledge that only BNE is benefitting from our oil, so Honorable Prime Minister, you have said you will not break a legitimate contract, is it then that our laws which bind and commit us as a people to protect our natural wonders not worth the paper it is written on? Furthermore are the international conventions that Belize has signed on also rendered meaningless in this country? Are you saying that the only legitimate contracts recognized by government are those signed to accommodate special interest groups at a specific time?"

And now, COLA and APAMO have joined SATIIM to take a collective stand against government:

Yvette Alonso, APAMO
"APAMO considers the efforts of the government to allow the exploitation of oil inside our protected areas as irresponsible. The government has a responsibility to its people to maintain these areas as they are a common good for all the Belizean people. APAMO calls on the government to do the right thing, to guarantee and to implement a ban on oil exploration in all our protected areas and World Heritage Sites."

Geovanni Brackett, Coalition Chairman
"We are being led by a government straight on to a financial hell and if we as a people do not stand up, if we as a people do not get informed and start moving to action, the government will continue with its intention to drill."

And if it does not impose a ban, the Chairman of the "Coalition to Save Our National Heritage", Geovanni Brackett made it clear there will be consequences:

Geovanni Brackett, Coalition Chairman
"It continues the hope that this will blow over. But let me promise you this. The hell of a storm that is coming - this won't pass over so quickly."

Brackett says they are prepared to engage in civil resistance:

Geovanni Brackett, Coalition Chairman
"We are willing to stand in front of the PM's house, to protest in front of the PM's office, the National Assembly. When we at COLA, we won't abide by no 8 to 5. We will stay and we will bring the heat until every contract is being revoked."

But for the time being, "bringing the heat" means working towards a referendum:

Geovanni Brackett, Coalition Chairman
"The coalition right now is conducting its petition drive. We are collecting signatures after signatures to get the 10% of the registered voters list in order to take it to a referendum, a referendum that we believe that we will win. Now it would be crazy, it would be insane for any government of the day after its people have clearly stated that the route that it intend to go for it to go against the people's will, then I think that in itself will dictate how far the people of Belize is willing to go."

Greg Ch'oc, Chairman SATIIM
"Today it might be in the Sarstoon Temash National Park, tomorrow it might be right in front of Belize City as you have seen the map."

And these conservation groups and their supporters hope that the government is sufficiently intimidated to listen to what they see as reason:

Greg Ch'oc, Chairman SATIIM
"I think the Prime Minister is a human being like all of us. I want to believe that. I want to be optimistic that he can be influenced to change his position."

The Collation to Protect Our National Resources needs to collect about eighteen thousand signatures to mandate a referendum; it currently has about four thousand.