On Tuesday's newscast, we showed you the proposals that the Belize Delegation of diplomats and military leaders made to the Guatemala delegation on a protocol for the Sarstoon River. That happened on last week Friday's meeting at the OAS.
It's in the hands of the Guatemalan Government right now, but today the PUP National Executive met to discuss them at Independence Hall. It was a two-hour meeting where the members made comments, asked questions, and the Opposition Leaders Advisors explained the finer points
That took almost 2 hours this afternoon, and at the end of the meeting, we spoke with the Party Chairman and one of those advisors this evening. Here's what they told us about the meeting:
Daniel Ortiz
"What is the nature of the discussion sir?"
Eamon Courtenay, Advisor, Belize/Guatemala Relations - PUP
"An update on the Sartsoon, Belize/Guatemala generally, the role of the party in process. As you know we are so far going along with the government in trying to resolve this on a national basis and party members have some concerns about that. We discussed it. But what I am emphasizing was information is that the national executive and the national party council is going to set the policies and the decisions of the party. So it was getting information in order to be able to make decisions."
Daniel Ortiz
"Sir, did the topic of the 11 point proposals for the Sarstoon protocol come up this afternoon and a former foreign minister, what's your reaction to the items being proposed? Are they delusive and logical?"
Eamon Courtenay, Advisor, Belize/Guatemala Relations
"As I said Daniel, we had an informational meeting. We got together and discussed it. Yes we discussed those 11 points and views were exchanged back and forth on them. People needed clarifications and we gave clarifications. I am not prepared now to express my personal view on any of them."
Henry Usher, Chairman - PUP
"What is the most important part is that the party and the party leader have committed to educating the members of the national executive, the parliamentarians, the former standard bearers and also the wider Belizean society when the time is right on all issues surrounding Belize/Guatemala. This is just the beginning of the process."
Daniel Ortiz
"Is it in your mind a good thing that the Belize National Teacher's Union has taken an active role in trying to find out for themselves the different issues surrounding the Belize/Guatemala issue?"
Henry Usher, Chairman - PUP
"I think that's an excellent development in the country. Whenever the teachers educate themselves and are able to pass down that education to the children, I think that is an important development in the politics of a country."
We approached Ambassador Assad Shoman, who chaired the meeting, for an interview. He declined, but we understand that he will be the main speakers at a forum set up for the teachers by the Belize National Teachers Union. That's supposed to take place tomorrow in Benque, and we'll be there to tell you how that went.
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