Audrey Matura Shepherd Vice President of Oceana Belize has officially tendered her resignation, effective August 22. Statements of Audrey Matura-Shepherd and Andy Sharpless May are below: Audrey Matura Shepherd, Vice President Oceana Belize “I have submitted my resignation as Vice President of Oceana for Belize effective as of August 22, 2013. It is time for me to move on to new opportunities and to fully pursue my legal career which remains my passion while balancing it with my family obligations. I have stayed much longer than I had committed to upon accepting this challenge because the marine issues Oceana works on are so important for Belize. Oceana in Belize is strong and ready for new leadership. We have made great progress in bringing attention to key marine issues and now our citizens are far more in tune with critical developments affecting the future health of our reef and marine resource, Thank you to my wonderful staff in Belize, my colleagues around the world, and most of all, to our supporters in Belize. You have amazed me with your energy and passion and unwavering resolve to unite and engage on these issues we present to you. Please keep up the good fight. I am not going away, I love Belize and will continue to be an activist and community leader. I will remain as VP for the next three months to help Andy and Oceana transition to a new leader. And, afterward, I will always continue to be an Oceana Wavemaker and will support our international and new Belizean leadership in whatever way I can, they have become like family. I call on all Belizeans to continue supporting Oceana’s wonderful work. God bless Oceana and God bless Belize.” Statement of Andy Sharpless, Chief Executive Officer, Belize “Last week, I accepted Audrey Matura-Shepherd’s resignation. We and the oceans owe Audrey a lot. As the Vice President for Oceana in Belize, she helped to win important and enduring victories for Belize’s ocean with the help of our allies and the Belizean people. Belize has now protected its fisheries and those in its fishing communities against the terrible damage caused by trawling, especially bottom trawling. It has also stood strong against incursions from foreign fleets. More recently, Belize’s courts have made it clear that the law must be respected and enforced when companies seek permission to undertake the extremely risky activity of drilling for oil in and near Belize’s incredible barrier reef. Belize should be proud of these accomplishments (and Audrey) – the country is a true world leader in ocean conservation. We will now look for a new leader in Belize. We have big shoes to fill but are confident that we can find a new local leader as smart, brave and determined as Audrey. We look forward to working with Audrey to effect a smooth transition to new local leadership. We believe our new leader will be able to build on Audrey’s work mainly because of the incredible dedication and passion of the many committed ocean advocates in Belize. I, and Oceana’s Board of Directors, thank Audrey for her service and wish her continued success as she moves onto the next steps in her remarkable career.”
Posted on: Thu, 30 May 2013 20:12:59 +0000
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