Last night, we had extensive coverage of our 45 minute interview with Foreign Affairs Minister Wilfred Elrington. He discussed last Wednesday's first bilateral meeting with new Guatemalan Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel.
But he also played some hardball politics. We asked him for his opinions of the defeated motion that PUP Senator Eamon Courtenay brought last week Wednesday to the Senate. He was attempting to push the first stages of an amendment to the Maritime Areas Act.
Foreign Minister Elrington mauled Courtenay, accusing him of attempting to jeopardize relations with Guatemala, and trying to become the next Minister of Foreign Affairs, even if that ambition hurts Belize’s diplomacy.
Courtenay responded this morning. In a 41 minute interview, which was laced with a few choice comments of his own, he blasted right back at Elrington. We start tonight with Courtenay explaining that he has retained 2 high-powered international attorneys to give a legal advice on how the Maritime Areas Act, as it now stands, may negatively affect Belize’s claim at the International Court of Justice.
He said that the legal opinions of those attorneys align with what Belize’s legal advisors have said: The Maritime Areas Act needs to amended urgently so that the country can claim 12 miles of territorial waters between the mouth of the Sarstoon and the Ranguana Caye:
Hon. Eamon Courtenay - PUP Senator
"I repeat the Maritime Areas Act needs to be amended. I have brought here my file on Maritime, yes, and I won't disclose to you who are the international lawyers who have advised the Government over the years. But, I will have you all read paragraph 21 of this opinion. What I will give you, and what you can refer to is one that I personally paid for, with my money, because unlike Wilfred Elrington. I take the matter seriously. And I will just read you the beginning. This legal advice addresses the following question: would Belize's in an ICJ claim be strengthened or not, if it were to make a declaration claiming as its territorial sea the area from the mouth of the Sarstoon to Ranguana Caye, before the dispute is submitted to the ICJ - which is the area that the Maritime Areas does not claim what we are entitled to. The short answer to the question is that a legislative amendment, supported by a declaration, or exchange of notes would strengthen Belize's position in an ICJ case. It would prove that there is no tacit agreement between Belize and Guatemala to a 3 nautical mile limit in the area from the mouth of the Sarstoon to Ranguana Caye, and it would rebut any argument regarding estoppel or a unilateral undertaking. This advice was given to me. It coincides with all the advice that we have gotten. I have 3 opinions here from different legal experts that have said that Belize must do this. This advice, I will give you the CV's so that you can show the Belizean people, so that they can go and check for themselves, was provided by Dr. Philipa Webb and Amal Clooney, George Clooney's wife, high-standing international lawyers, okay. I say, Belize's interest continues to be prejudiced every day that we don't what is right."
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