Email

Print

As we showed you in our coverage, Magdalena Talamás, the Chief of the OAS Chief Fund, which mediates the territorial dispute between Belize and Guatemala, was out on the river when the territorial volunteers went to tour the Sarstoon Island.

Well, according to the Prime Minister, both his government and the Guatemalan Government, in the person of no less than Present Otto Perez Molina requested that the OAS be there to monitor the situation as an impartial observer. The militaries of both countries were to have been informed, but even the OAS was intercepted by the Guatemalans. He noted that this would tend to point to a situation where the Guatemalan officials say one thing while the military does another:

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister

"I just wanted to add something to the exchange between you and the general, relating to this question of whether the orders that we are told are given at the top in Guatemala actually filtered down. Ms. Talamas' report makes clear that before the Guatemalan navy intercepted the Territorial Volunteers, they intercepted her. She got out there in this Belizean boat; she gave the name I don't know is Lawrence of anybody remembers. Good Times. Hell of a misnomer. And she said; the report says that before she could reach the mouth of the river, the Guatemalans came to intercept her. She explained this is OAS, we are here on an observer mission, asked for by your government and the Belize government. The particular vessel captain said, I don't know anything about that. She said well let me go to where they have a sort of permanent camp on their bank of the river. And as she was proceeding to do that, another vessel came up and intercepted her; this time commanded by, as she calls him Vice Admiral Thomas, who is somebody our admiral had spoken to in advance of Sunday's incident. And Vice Admiral Thomas told Ms. Talamas; that he too knew nothing of her mission. She pulled out the note to the OAS sent by their Foreign Ministry. I know from our foreign minister, that the Secretary General of the OAS had gotten in touch with him Friday or Saturday; to confirm that he had spoken directly to President Perez Molina. Who, was aware of the OAS mission and who gave certain undertakings. And then this is what happens when the OAS reaches the spot."

So, even the OAS report points to the aggression of the Guatemalan military. Is that enough to convince the foreign minister Wilfred Elrington? On Monday, he told the Amandala that he didn't buy the media's account – and went further to say, quote, "it was the Guatemalans who extended courtesy to the BTV and allowed 3 of their 4 boats to go around the island." Guatemalans? Courtesy? Well, now we know, not even the OAS would buy that line.

And neither, apparently, does the Prime Minister. He said that the media's coverage of the confrontation confirmed that the Guatemalan military came into Belizean territory. He also said that the Guatemalan Navy's actions are inexcusable, and so that's why the Government had to protest.

So, where does that leave Foreign Minister Elrington? We asked the Prime Minister if the Foreign Minister is the right man for the job:

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister

"I am not going to comment on what the Foreign Minister said; I heard of some interview, I haven't seen it, I haven't read it. But the line that you ultimately take is from me. This is a Prime Minister's press conference, you've heard that line and I will tell you that I speak not just for my office; but for the entire Cabinet and Government of Belize."

Jules Vasquez

"Sir if there is such a cleavage of views between what we call reality; between yourself and the Foreign Minister. Have you then considered that perhaps Mr. Elrington should no longer hold this portfolio of Foreign Affairs?"

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister

"How you get there Jules? I repeat that whether you want to describe it as a cleavage or not; whether you want to point to some cleavage that I do not conceded exists at all. The line that I have given is the official line of the Government of Belize."

Daniel Ortiz

"Mr. Elrington is always the flash point or the contact whenever there is any dispute or any sort of issues when it comes to Guatemala and Belize. And sometimes his comments do not reflect the positions you take; and from time to time it appears that his comments are appeasing to our good neighbour. So is there some issue that Mr. Elrington is not applying what you believe is the position of the government?"

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister

"You base your question on a judgement you make of Mr. Elrington's utterances. I don't know that I accept your judgement."

Daniel Ortiz

"But it's on the record sir."

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister

"I'm not saying I don't, I'm not saying I do. But you surely will understand that I can't answer a question that is premised on your judgement."

We'll have a bit more from the press conference a little later on when the Prime Minister asserts that Sarstoon Island is Belizean territory, and that the State continues to exert its sovereignty over it, as well as half of the Sarstoon River.