San Pedro and Clearwater to Form Sister-City Partnership

As San Pedro residents gear up for tonight’s 7 p.m. public meeting on the controversial Cayo Rosario development, Mayor Wally Nunez has just returned from Clearwater, Florida. There, he’s been in talks with officials to establish a sister-city partnership focused on marine conservation. Earlier today, News Five caught up with Clearwater resident and attorney Greg Crist, who shared more details about this exciting collaboration.

 

Greg Crist, Attorney-at-law

“This was something that my partner, Michael Estephan, came up with.  He was actually searching for a sister-city relationship with San Pedro and he reached out to me because of the unique proximity of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium building a facility in Gales Point.  And so, the connection between the city of Clearwater and San Pedro had a unique connection through the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.  Mayor Wally’s visit was really quite historic, in terms of being more than a symbolic gesture.  This is truly a step towards an international relationship that’s gonna be rooted in marine conservation, cultural exchange and sustainable ecotourism.”

 

Isani Cayetano

“What other features of this partnership do we, as Belizeans, look forward to from Clearwater?”

 

Greg Crist

“Well there’s gonna be significant opportunities in blue economy jobs.  Mayor Wally’s project right now is completing phase one which is initiating the sister-city relationship with the city of Clearwater. He came to Clearwater, this is his second visit, by the way, his first visit was a workshop to begin developing regional ties.  That’s stakeholders and collaborators within the business realm that would support the relationship, working on cultural exchange educational opportunities, exchanges with business opportunities and some best practices towards coastal conservation, and that’s a very significant element for Mayor Wally right now.  With manatees, dolphins and sea turtles and the ecosystems that those critical marine species need to survive.  We have a very unique biosystem in San Pedro and it’s important that Clearwater Marine Aquarium and San Pedro develop an international marine center to study this Mesoamerican Reef and more importantly the species that call it home.”