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Hon. Oscar Requena, PUP Area Representative - Toledo West
"People who come from outside must follow the rules and regulations of community and must be respectful at all times to the authority of our country. Because these communities have their customary laws, rules and regulations that require any new entrant, whether it is Maya or non-Maya who is coming into the community - that they have to follow those procedures and protocol. They made it absolutely clear, that if Mr. Myles had follow the procedure that he would be welcome into their community without any problem Jules."

But, it's not a position that the Prime Minister necessarily supports: he says constitutional rights supersede customary practice or Alcalde law - and Maya communities will surely find that out if the Rupert Myles incident is repeated:

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"If ever they do what they did again, the same thing will happen. I trust they won't, because they must realize now they were wrong under the laws of this country. Forget the question of race and ethnicity. They were wrong. Plain and simple. They have no authority under any kind of cultural remit as I said, any kind of alcalde system to do what they did. That was wrong and in the course of their wrong doing they violated the personal rights of Mr. Myles."

Hon. Oscar Requena, PUP Area Representative - Toledo West
"He was never imprisoned as the Prime Minister said and he was treated fairly. It was merely a matter of detaining him because the villagers felt they are being threatened. Thereafter, the alcaldes made contact with the Punta Gorda. They went first to Pueblo Viejo, then to San Antonio and could not locate any police. Then they called Punta Gorda just to be told by the Punta Gorda formation that they did not have fuel, they did not have a vehicle to be able to move. It's a shame Jules. It's a shame. Of course this is after the alcalde and the Maya Leaders Alliance had reported this matter way back to the officer in charged in Punta Gorda. Three months when they went back to follow up with him, he said that he lost the number, could you give me the number again, I have not been able to contact the guy."

"To compound the matter worse Jules, this state takes it a step further in which on Monday morning 4:30am in the morning, 4 trucks loads of policemen from Belmopan or Belize City or somewhere - they couldn't find them prior to that, but Monday morning they were there beating down on people's doors, punching people, putting guns on people's head, because that's what they told me yesterday in my meeting with the community. One lady actually cried. She said they actually put a rifle on her face, punching down the others and beating down these people."

"It is a shame when they drag these people. They ask that they wanted to put on their trousers, because it was in the night. They took them to court in boxers."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"I don't know why the police went at the time they did. I hear this about the people were without clothing. The pictures I saw when they were in court, everybody was clothed."

Jules Vasquez
"They had to use other people's clothes."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"The police must answer as to why they went at the hour they did. I don't know it's because these people go to their farms very early, so you got to catch them. That is a matter for the police to deal with. But I certainly stand by the police in terms of their decision to detained and charged these people after Mr. Myles made his formal complaint and report at the station."

Hon. Oscar Requena, PUP Area Representative - Toledo West
"The people are absolutely clear and they are saying that they have no doubt that the response of the police, the abuse and violence thrown upon them was as a direct result of the statements made by the Prime Minister in Dangriga on Monday. That's what the people are telling me Jules. That's what they are saying."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"All of us in Cabinet were quite clear with the Minister of Police, your department sir, if there is a complaint from Mr. Myles, must investigate that complaint and if there is a basis for further action, they must take that action in discharge of their duty to uphold the law. That was where it stop sir."

Hon. Oscar Requena
"I made a call for peace for everybody to calm down for us to focus ourselves and for us to join hands as Belizeans to work together."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"I see they've ask for a meeting with government to see how we can quickly progress the whole exercise that is necessary to spell out their rights. So, in moving on, I'm making the appeal to all of us. As soon as we can let us put this incident behind us."

No date has yet been set for that meeting between the Prime Minister and the Mayas.