The Prime Minister told us that once again, incidents like these underscore that a peaceful resolution needs to happen sometime soon.
We told you how the International Group of Friends are getting impatient with the referendum delays. Prime Minister Barrow said that this is yet another reason that the citizens need to consider it closely:
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"In our view, in the official view of the government, that really is the only way to solve this issue once and for all, but it does take two to tango and we have not yet gone to a referendum because the Guatemalans seem to be having great difficulty in terms of their own internal politics. In setting the stage for them to go to referendum. The key is to try to come up with a way forward with respect to the Sarstoon. That's priority 1, that's job 1. In the larger context, we in Belize continue to be interested in going to referendum as soon as is practicable. But I repeat, I don't see us going without the Guatemalans also being prepared to go. There has been provision now for us to go separately. Speaking for myself, I don't see Belize going until Guatemala has gone. It's either going together or they need to go first."
So, what about the reports coming out of Guatemala that Belize will change it's referendum law from the 60% threshold to a simple majority? Well, the Prime Minister said that his government isn't at that stage yet, but he sees the logic in it:
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow
"That's being raised by Assad Shoman publicly at the Bar Association Firm. He is now leader of the opposition's representative to the talks that we're having with the Guatemalans. I gather that Eamon Courtenay, their senator, endorsed the proposal by Mr. Shoman. I will say that it is something that I have to look at. It is something that I believe the cabinet of Belize has to look at. The truth is that nowhere else in a situation like this will you have a referendum requiring more than a simple majority. But I wouldn't go beyond that at this point. It is something that we must look at, it is something our cabinet will have to discuss, it is something Belizean people would have to be consulted about. But I can see the logic in the position of those who say that there ought to be that change."
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