The University of Belize's Canoe team is the defending champ in the La Ruta Maya River Challenge intramural category and today they got $10,000 ensure a repeat victory. The check for their war chest came from PACT, the Protected Areas Conservation Trust. The check was presented this afternoon to UB's Provost Henry Anderson by PACT's Senior Project Officer Shawn Ramclam-Perrera. Anderson says the money will buy new equipment for the racers.
Henry Anderson, UB Provost
"It will go a good way. The university takes care of all the training costs and everything. This essentially will get a new state of the art canoe, new paddles, and other things for the race."
Shawn Ramclam-Perrera, PACT Sr. Project Officer
"This canoe team, as a part of their proposal which was very impressive, while they are practicing they are actually cleaning the river and these are young people and they are passing on the message of environmental protection. They want to be trained as ambassadors, environmental ambassadors, in promoting the work of PACT and environmental conservation in Belize. One of our priority areas of funding is environmental conservation and education and this canoe team fits right into that area."
Kevin Quischan, Canoe Team Member
"I don't have a problem cleaning the river cause I love to see the river clean and green, let it be a running stream. I like it that way and want to keep it that way."
Kevin Quischan and Louis Chavez are two of the three racers on UB's Environment Canoe Team. UB also fields another canoe team sponsored by Koop Sheet Metal.
7NEWS produced for broadcast by News Director Jules Vasquez
Edited for the internet by Keith Swift
