| One man who's choosing to look at the Statutory Instrument as a positive outcome is Patrick Rogers, the Leader of the Belize Progressive Party.
Now, if you've been following the opinions that Rogers and those within his party have shared on the Belize/Guatemala Territorial Dispute, you'd know that they are hyper-critical of the Government's decisions.
So, we were a little surprised when Rogers told us that from his perspective, the Government, in trying to block the BTV, did a good thing to advance Belize's claimed sovereignty over the northern portion of the Sarstoon River. Here's how he explained why:
Patrick Rogers - Leader, Belize Progressive Party
"All is not lost Belize. We are taking the line that they have given us and make lemonade, because what they have effectively done is re-assert sovereignty over the northern section of the Sarstoon now, by passing this law to restrict us for going there for 30 days. Over the next 30 days we need to mount a constitutional challenge based on discrimination if Guatemalan fisher folks are seen in the northern side of the Sarstoon or worst, the Guatemalan Armed Forces."
Wil Maheia and the BTV say that this weekend's set back has not deterred them from the decision to visit the Sarstoon River before the month is up.
And, as you saw in our story, PUP's, Oscar Requena and Ramon "Monchie" Cervantes, were very vocal about the Sarstoon Statutory Instrument.
The rest of their party agrees with them, and among those 5 resolutions passed today, the PUP will bring a constitutional challenge against the law. Apart from defying the Government and going to the Sarstoon themselves, the PUP say that they will engage in a national campaign called "Liberation of the Sarstoon and Resistance to the Sarstoon Law".
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