Press Release - Belmopan - January 6, 2011 - The people of Georgeville area of the Cayo District today were treated to free butane gas for their cooking and kitchen needs.
The process of delivering the butane gas started around eleven in the morning and, because of the large amount of villagers who came out with their empty gas cylinders, it lasted well into the afternoon, until every single resident, from Central Farm to Cool Shade, got their fill.
On hand to make sure the process went smoothly and fairly, was Area Representative and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Rene Montero. Minister Montero said this is an excellent way of starting out the New Year, helping the residents improve their standard of living, and perhaps in a very timely manner, when most of the butane gas was used up during the Christmas and Years Holiday’s cooking and baking.
Minister Montero thanked the staff of Belize Natural Energy for the generous donation and their overall contribution in making today’s event a total success. The scope of today’s activity encompassed all villagers of Georgeville, which covers every resident from Central Farm to Cool Shade. At last count, some two hundred and 25 butane cylinders had been completely filled up.The event was made possible through the kind donation of Belize Natural Energy, BNE, which donated three thousand five hundred gallons of the gas. For his part, Daniel Gutierrez of the Marketing Department, Belize Natural Energy, said that his Company has entered a new phase of producing liquefied petroleum gas, more commonly known as butane. “We are now producing butane gas in Belize, Belizean butane, and we want the people to be aware of this, and share in the benefits”, said Mr. Gutierrez. BNE is seeking Government’s permission to market the product directly to consumers, which would result in substantial benefits in reduced butane gas prices.
When prompted about upcoming developments in his Ministry in the next few months, Minister Montero said that the Integrated Farming System is about to be launched. This will directly assist some sixty farmers, who will undergo personal training to improve their farming practices, so that they can make a living exclusively off their farm. This will allow them to be self-employed and even go on to employ other people, hopefully, mainly youths in the rural areas.
After discussions with the fishers directly affected by the proposed ban, Oceana was able to secure the full support of the Belize Fishermen Association which has a membership of four cooperative including the NFC. In the letter, signed by the Chairman Allan Bevans Green, Vice Chairman, Carlton Young and Secretary Ovel Leonardo Sr. the BFCA expressed support for the buyout of the trawlers. “By our support of the sale of the two trawlers to Oceana, the BFCA also agrees to support Oceana in its Endeavour to ban all trawling permanently within the waters of Belize,” concluded the letter.
Belize has become one of only three countries in the world to institute a complete and permanent ban on trawling in all its waters. Large areas in the US, Indonesia, Phillipines and other Pacific islands are closed to trawling, though not the entire country. Venezuela and Palau, like Belize banned trawling completely.
