Well, they might have to get ready to see the PUP - because on Saturday the opposition held a National Party Council meeting - and various party officials made it clear they want to challenge the government and the Guatemalans and go to the Sarstoon. The meeting was held at the Belize Elementary Gym and when it was over, the party chairman gave us a synopsis of the resolutions:...
Henry Charles Usher, Chairman - PUP
"The resolution has 6 faucets to it. First of all we condemn the Guatemalan escalation of troops at the border and we require that the Guatemalans de-escalate that immediately. 2.) We demand that the government of Belize rescind the unconstitutional Sarstoon law immediately. 3.) We have gotten approval of the national party council to re-engage with the government when it comes to the national effort, but it has to be done on an item of respect - terms of respect, requirement that the law be rescinded. 4.) That if the law is not rescinded, the People's United Party National Party Council has resolved to travel to the Sarstoon."
"In terms of the rescinding of the law, that takes immediate effect. We are requiring or asking or demanding that the government rescinds the law immediately."
Jules Vasquez
"And if they don't rescind it, the PUP is going to the Sarstoon. When is there a timeline for that?>"
Henry Charles Usher, Chairman - PUP
"There are two ways we are challenging this law, we believe that the law is unconstitutional. We are taking out a motion, a legal challenge to the law in the court and also we will be traveling to the Sarstoon to state very clearly our position that the law is unconstitutional. That move to the Sarstoon would be done after consultation and after we work out all the logistics. But it will be done within the 30-day timeframe that has been set."
Jules Vasquez
"Are you all concern about putting yourselves in harm's way, in terms of we know the Guatemalans are very militant right now and however irrational that may be, that is the state of play right now."
Henry Charles Usher, Chairman - PUP
"In terms of the safety of the people, we will ensure that that is taken care of and we believe that as a national party council, that Belizeans have the right to travel peacefully in that area of Belize."
The exact wording of the resolution is that the PUP, quote, "Condemn(s) the unilateral and illegal control by Guatemala of the Sarstoon, and demand(s) that Guatemala immediately respect Belize's right to its part of the Sarstoon River in accordance with the 1859 Treaty. The other relevant resolution says, quote, ("The PUP) Demand(s) that the Government of Belize immediately rescinds Statutory Instrument No 42 of 2016, the unconstitutional Sarstoon Law, which constitutes an affront and insult to the Belizean people and an unconstitutional restriction of the people's right to freedom of movement guaranteed by the Belize Constitution, and fully restores the presence of the Belize Defence Force on our side of the southern border."
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