| In about half an hour, the Social Security Board debate on the Belize Guatemala Territorial Dispute will start at the Bliss Center.
SSB has put together a panel of experts on both sides of the issue, those who want to go to the ICJ, and those who think it's a bad idea. Those in favour include Ambassadors Lisa Shoman and Jim Murphy, and History teacher Gian Vasquez. Those against include Dickie Bradley, Fred Hunter, and Paul Morgan.
The Debate starts at 8:00 and this afternoon, SSB Chairman Doug Singh told us why they want to inform the wider national debate on this divisive issue:
Doug Singh, Chair. Board of Directors, SSB
"As a result of the incidents that have happened on the border and the ramping of the dialogue on this whole territorial question and the ICJ, we felt obligated to do what we can to help provide information to the public. There was no better way that to actually bring the parties who we're actually advocating for and advocated against the ICJ to come and present their case to the public. So we're having an open forum at the Bliss Institute tonight and it will be on television nationally and also on the radio nationally. The hope is that people get to contrast both sides and to see if it re-enforces their position or changes their positions, but at the end of the day that it provides more information and does so in a civil manner. The format of the debate affords each side the opportunity to present their case and it also affords each side the opportunity to rebut points made by the other side. It's up to the public at the end of the day to determine whether or not they believe the points were made or the points strengthen their own resolve from the position that they have taken. but we want people to be exposed to this, in fact if we could arrange a debate later in the year that deals with the legal arguments on both sides, it would be fantastic except I have come to learn that in fact while Belize has embarked on an education exercise that has put a tremendous amount of material together that speaks to its position and what it feels should be its defense position and legal opinion on Belize's position. Guatemala has not done so, so the basis of Guatemala's claim is still somewhat unknown or what they would use as their arguments in court is very much unknown. It may very well be a challenge to do this debate because substantial material is not available. Maybe that material is not available because it doesn't exist, but we don't want to take that for granted. We feel at social security board, that if we can contribute to the dialogue and increase the education exercise or contribute to that in any way, then we will be happy to do so and continue to do so."
We'll highlights of the debate in tomorrow's news.
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