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Now if you know anything about the ICJ push, you'll know that the fate is a moving target - and no one knows when it's going to happen, if ever. So it might seem a bit unreasonable for the Guatemalan Government to make a request for a postponement without a fixed date. That's what we asked Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington today when caught him at the Airport, just as he was leaving the country. He told us that he isn't surprised that the Guatemalans have taken this position:

Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Whenever we want to do anything touches on the border, we communicate with them and we get their views on it. Depending on the views that they expressed and how strongly we feel about it, we take those actions which we deemed are in our best interest."

Daniel Ortiz
"What was the reaction of the diplomats from Guatemala when you all informed them that you had this intention of building this base on Sarstoon Island?"

Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"My own recollection is that they are suggesting that we discussed the matter at the OAS. We certainly have intention of doing it and they are simply seem to be suggesting that we should discuss it at the OAS before we take any further steps with respect to the matter, given the fact that in fact we are on our way to the ICJ."

Reporter
"Does this mean that we will go ahead with the construction of a temporary base on Sarstoon Island?"

Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"My understanding that the present situation is that we are waiting to have a meeting on the matter at the OAS and after we have determine completing that meeting, then we will determine a way forward."

Reporter
"Why is it necessary to consult the OAS on a question like this if this is in fact in Belize's sovereign territory?"

Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Because Guatemalans are making an issue with respect to it, because they are claiming the entire territory. So, this is not of normal, this is completely normal. What they are doing now is basically the pattern that they have been pursuing since 1937 when they decided not to recognize our borders."

Daniel Ortiz
"Sir, is that the position at this time that we are pausing on this forward operating base until we discussed with them?"

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"Until we have discussed the matter. I must make it very clear that the decision to do the forward operating base was made long before we got into power. That decision was made by the old PUP government, long before we got into power and then shortly after we got into power we took a decision that we would want to continue with it and then it lay dormant until very recently when the issue reared its head. So it's not a matter of urgency that it should be dealt with immediately and we have got to deal with it prudently and that's basically what we are trying to do."

Daniel Ortiz
"But sir, there would be some who say that the principle is that we should take actions that we believe are in our best interest not having to consult with Guatemala, but yet here we are holding back and pausing because they had made a problem of it."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"You can't fought on what some would say. Some don't have the responsibility of making sure the people of Belize are safe and secure and that our business continue to flourish, that the tourists continue to come into the country, that they continue to feel safe about the country and the like. Those are matters which we as a government have got to think about."

So, if the country will be waiting until after the OAS meeting to move forward with plans to build the base, when will it actually start? That's what the media tried to get out of the Foreign Minister, and that's when the discussion got heated. Here's how that exchange went:

Reporter
"In the meantime, how do our Coast Guard and military continue to operate in that area?"

Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"They have always been operating. There is nothing to stop them. Nothing has happened that is new. What they are doing now, they have always been doing. Nothing has changed. The Guatemalans have done nothing that has changed the situation. What they are doing now, is what they have been doing last year, the year before, year before and the year before."

Reporter
"Well then why must we change with our plans of establishing that forward operating base there?"

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"I told you that maybe the plan was conceived maybe 20 years ago. Nothing has changed."

Reporter
"We understand that the concrete plans were to start constructing that base a few months ago and now we are stalled because of what the Guatemalans have done. I am speaking about what has happened this year right here."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"Let me make this very clear. There was no decision to act on it this year made by the government of Belize. None."

Reporter
"It's not what has been said sir."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"No. People were investigating possible sites. But a decision to build a forward operating base by our government was made maybe 6 years ago. And it was supposed to have been built by the Belize Defence Force."

Reporter
"The commander of the Coast Guard has said that they were supposed to...."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"I don't have responsibility for what he says. I am telling what the decision was that was taken by us in Cabinet and the National Security Council."

Reporter
"The message going across the different departments is disjointed."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"That is the way you see it. I am just telling you what the situation is as far as I know it to be."