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Well, while that was happening inside the house, the Belize Territorial Volunteers and Belize Progressive Party, were outside picketing the meeting. They were there to send a message to the Government that the diplomatic note of protest sent to Guatemala about the Sarstoon Showdown is not a sufficient response. They say that the Government has failed to respond adequately to the more aggressive profile of the Guatemalan Navy in the Sarstoon River. This morning, about 60 or so persons showed up on Independence Hill to demonstrate, and we spoke to one of the protesters:

Robert "Bobby" Lopez, Protester
"It is important that Belizeans and myself as a Belizean stand up now. It reminds me of 1991 all over again when the both parties joined together to signed and support the maritime area act. That is exactly what we see happening and we see that after 35 years of Independence, our position has weakened. We went from recognized borders to adjacency zone to artificial border, now we have lost the Sarstoon. Next we lose Toledo and soon we lose our country. I think of Mr. Goldson also as a blind man being able to not see, but understand what was taking place 25 years ago with the maritime areas act. Now he stood up."

"I am calling on the 31 members here who is going to stand up in parliament like Mr. Goldson? Nobody will. We are prepared to die for this country. Belize has been good to us and we must be prepared to lead Belize complete, intact - 8,867 square miles for our children and generations to come."

Reporter
"There have been demonstrations out here. Recently the numbers have not been great. The Prime Minister and the ruling party has taken that to mean that the general population is not in support. What would you respond to that?"

Robert "Bobby" Lopez, Protester
"I would say time will tell. I would say that Belizeans are waking up. The fact that there are more here than there was the last time. A bus came from Orange Walk, one from Belize City and one from Punta Gorda. I think that is a testament that Belizeans are standing up. Yes, we understand and we realize that not everyone can be here. It's a working day and we make a sacrifice to leave our jobs, our businesses, our families to come out here."