Department of Environment Applauds Belikin La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge

The Department of the Environment has tipped its hat off to the producers, participants and stakeholders of the Belikin La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge 2024.  Chief Environmental Officer, Anthony Mai, explained that he was pleased to see the importance of clean rivers and waterways promoted over this weekend’s event.

Anthony Mai, Chief Environmental Officer, Department of the Environment: “So last year our team came in first in the pleasure category and so we did pretty good this year as well. Again the idea of the Ruta Maya it started off from – it has an environmental consciousness in terms of the reason why it started. It was to ensure that Belizeans kind of get experience of the river, they experience the river and see the beauty of it, the natural beauty and also to build awareness on why we need to protect it. And so as you know in terms of a river system there are several concerns as it relates to environmental threats. So there is what is referred to as point and non point source of pollution. So point source pollution would be for example the discharge from some of the main drains in the towns etc. Non point source of discharge would be from agricultural development right ? And so I think the Ruta Maya race has a good opportunity for all Belizeans to see the beauty and why we need to protect it. And so in terms of protection the government has some responsibility to protect the river but individually everyone has a responsibility to protect the river as well. I think it builds good environmental awareness on that particular aspect and so we support it every year. We have been supporting it and we will continue to support it in the future. Over the radio I listened and I was happy to hear that I think there is a rule now in the race that if you throw garbage in the river you could be penalised or something of that nature which I think was awesome. And then I think the former Mayor Palacio from Belmopan City Council had a team of volunteers on the river cleaning up and I think the last time I listened to the radio late Friday evening or Saturday they had collected eighteen bags of garbage. So it just shows that again the intention of the race in terms of building environmental awareness is there and it is present and I’d just like to thank everyone that participated in terms of ensuring that the river remains clean, healthy and protected so that again our future generations could enjoy it as well.”