My queer sensibilities are screaming in pain at the above image of green paint under flourecent lighting. Ewww. What's important is that it's a picture of Coral Reef Alliance Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Program Manager Rich Wilson (left), Belize Minister of Tourism the Hon. Jose Manuel Heredia, Jr. (center), and San Pedro, Belize dive tourism operator Billy Leslie (right) following a meeting we set-up earlier this week in Belize City. The color of the walls at least underscores Belize' ongoing leadership in environmental sustainability for the Mesoamerican region.Thanks to the vision of the government and leadership of marine tourism operators like Billy, we are inching closer to seeing our Voluntary Standards for Marine Recreation, a tool to measurably reduce recreational impacts to coral reefs, become ratified into Belizean law.
We've got a lot of work to do before we can put this one to bed. But great job moving the needle along, Rich! And kudos to Belize for leading by example.
