The Senate was also asked to ratify the Special Agreement Between Belize and Guatemala to submit their territorial claim to the ICJ. That was signed in 2008, and it has been long delayed for Parliament to put it into force. The Government sought to do this today, along with seeking Senate Approval for the Amendment to the Special Protocol, signed last year.
When the motion was tabled today, most of the Senators who are not Government Appointed publicly asked the Barrow Administration to explain, “why now?â€
First out of the gate was PUP Senator, and Former Foreign Affairs Minister Eamon Courtenay. He made it clear that the PUP is still committed to the ICJ process, but he stressed that the PUP does not feel that now is the right time for a referendum on the matter. Why? Well, he says that the Guatemalan Aggression this year is to blame:
Hon. Eamon Courtenay - PUP Senator
"It begs the question, why now? Now is not a convenient time for the process of a referendum to be held in Belize. Madam President let us be clear the Republic of Guatemala at the highest levels of its government have been and are an apparently intend to continue to behave in a hostile manner towards to the government and people of Belize. Until the government of Guatemala adopts a good neighbourly attitude towards the government and people of Belize we say it is not an appropriate time to embark on the road to a referendum. We do not madam president believe that now is that appropriate time. And Guatemala has demonstrated a catalogue of bad faith in relation to Belize."
Hon. Mark Lizarraga - Business Senator
"I believe that this law that we're seeking to change next year that actually Guatemala and Belize sign on to at that time we had the 60%; If I'm not mistaken this change to our constitution that change it to 60% was signed in April of that year. So Guatemala when they signed this in December they signed this and agreed to this. It says the parties commit themselves to undertake the procedures set forth in their respective national systems to submit to the referenda; our referendum law had been change for months and months so why are we changing it back now? Is it to suite them to appease Guatemala, is that the only reason or is there some other strategy that we don't know about? Certainly if it's appeasement then I agree with Senator Courtenay that at the very least we should see and expect that a protocol be signed for the Sarstoon before we seek to appease them."
Hon. Elena Smith - Labour/Civil Society Senator
"There's also concerns Mr. President at is relates to as my colleague over there said persons on the voters list who will be eligible to vote in the referendum since thousands of Guatemalans are registered voters and I don't need to elaborate on that you see that every time an election cycle coming around we hear of that, we see of that. We hear of persons though not living in Belize who comes across on the day of election to come and vote."
Hon. Vanessa Retreage - Attorney General
"It is important in this context that we appreciate what the senate is being asked to approve today. The senate is being asked to approve gratification of an agreement which calls on the citizens of this country Belize to decide whether Guatemala's claim over Belize should be submitted to the ICJ for final determination. The approval of this special agreement and its protocol today does not mean that Guatemala's will be submitted to the ICJ, it means that we decide how that claim will be dealt with."
Hon. Godwin Hulse- Leader of Gov't Business - Senate
"But I want to registered unequivocally that this side of the table, this side of this honourable house is in no quarrel, not now and not ever going to be as long as I'm here leading this side with the people of Belize, with that side, my esteemed colleagues when it comes to Guatemala; ain't no question about that. We will quarrel about all kind of thing but never about or we or anybody looking out for Guatemala; I have some very, very strong views, they border on military stake, I won't express them at all when it comes to my 8,867 and my capacity to defend it."
These two motions were the only ones which did not pass. They were submitted to the Committee for Foreign Affairs and Constitution. The Senators say that they need further consideration before they take a vote on whether or not to pass them.
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