OCEANA FOUNDING MEMBER TED DANSON IN BELIZE

PRESS RELEASE
November 26, 2010


Oceana’s Board of Directors first ever international meeting in Belize will see participation of many internationally known figures. The meeting will take place December 6 to 9th 2010.

Internationally recognized Actor, best known in Belize for his role in the sitcom Cheers and now HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, is among the over 15 board members who will be visiting Belize for the first time.

As part of the series of events, Board members will be making courtesy calls on Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Rene Montero and Leader of the Opposition Johnny Briceño.

The working session of the meeting will be held in San Pedro, where the board will be approving its global strategy and budget for 2011 and learning more about the pressing marine issues in Belize. While in San Pedro the Board will take time out to meet with members of the San Pedro Town Council and visit local tourist spots. Mayor Elsa Paz, who has been supportive of Oceana’s policies along with the Town Councilors, will be hosting the Board members at a cocktail party at which Minister of Tourism; Manuel Heredia will be the guest of honour.

A highlight of the Board’s visit to in Belize is the public forum at the Bliss Institute on December 8, 2010 at 5 pm. The theme of this presentation which is open to the Belizean public free of cost is “Learning from the US Oil Disasters – Can this be us?” The key presenter will be marine scientist Dr. Jeff Short, who has worked and researched the Exxon Valdez oil disaster in Alaska and the recent BP Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

Also presenting at this event is Oceana’s very own founding member and marine advocate Ted Danson who has testified before the US Senate about the dangers of offshore oil exploration and drilling. Danson has used his internationally recognized status as a famous actor to educate people around the world about marine issues affecting humanity globally.

Other well known board members in attendance will be the former President of Columbia and former Secretary General of the OAS, César Gaviria and Oceana’s chairperson, Kristian Parker from the Swiss-based OAK Foundation. Members of the Board of Directors come from a variety of backgrounds such as Europe and North and South America.

Oceana’s CEO Andy Sharpless says he is most pleased with the decision to host its final board meeting for 2010 in Belize as this is the most recent office opened by the organization as it expands its reach globally. “Mayor Paz is a friend of Oceana and we are more than delighted to be taking our event to her island as it helps to bring recognition to the importance of Belize’s Barrier Reef and the threats it faces by unsustainable human activity.”


For Further information contact:

Audrey Matura-Shepherd at 610-0702 or 227-2704/05 or amatura-shepherd@oceana.org