Belize has taken over the pro-tem presidency of SICA - the central American integration system. It's the third time since Belize was admitted to SICA in 1990 that it holds the rotating presidency of the group which has membership of 7 nations.
Today CEO in the ministry of foreign affairs, Alexis Rosado discussed the significance:....
Alexis Rosado - CEO - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
"It allows us an opportunity not just to participate in the process but also to influence decision making and also to help in the prioritization of different issues, Belize as chair will be able to bring in a higher weight in respect to the material that SICA engages in. And as I said earlier our own individuality the distinction of us being Central American and Caribbean at the same time bring some weight to it and we hope that we could achieve a better integration, a better collaboration between the regions. We think it has a lot of meaning."
Jules Vasquez
"We hear of regional integration and obviously Belize struggles both these regions, but how fully integrated are we in terms of the CARICOM region we are geographically apart and you need to take two flights from any Caribbean nations to arrive in Belize and in Central America we are to a large extent culturally apart. So while we straddle both worlds it seems that we occupy neither world."
Alexis Rosado
"Well, if you look at it, you're talking about looking at a glass half full or half empty, if you look at it from a distance and what separates us you can find a lot of reasons and excuses why we are separated or how we are separated, But really if you look at it from the other angle, there are so many things that unite us. So really it dispenses on how you look at it. There are so many things that unite us with CARICOM and unite us with Central America."
Jules Vasquez
"Would you be able to speak about the, you said it's the third time we are having the pro-tem presidency but, what is the symbolism as regards the territorial diferendum, that we are able to stand shoulder to shoulder among sovereign nations among this region and for these six months lead those sovereign nations. "
Alexis Rosado
"Well, again it highlights and emphasizes the fact that we are a sovereign nation and we have an equal vote, we have influence, we could be looked upon by the Central American region to lead in a number of issues."
Rosado says Belize's presidency will be marked by the contribution it makes at the United Nations climate change conference in CANCUN in early December....
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