So the Barrow Administration remains under pressure for not responding adequately to the Sarstoon Showdown. Today we asked him to respond to the very pointed criticism against him:..
Jules Vasquez
"They had protesters out here today saying that you have acceded land. That you have acceded Sarstoon Island. You have acceded the Sarstoon. How do you respond to that?"
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"That's nonsense."
Jules Vasquez
"However, occupation, the Guatemalans showed 10 days ago that in fact they can occupy that as they wish to repel any Belizeans who wish to visit there. Isn't occupation however, temporary an indication of possession?"
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"No sir and I don't know if there is any occupation. They responded to an adhoc - a one-off situation. I say one-off, but I hope these people won't go back again. Look, it comes right back to what we are saying; we know those people have a claim, we know their claim is in a sense almost bizarre, in terms of saying that the entire Sarstoon belongs to them. We completely reject that. We will continue to maintain our sovereignty assertions, but we insist that that particular exercise ought to be the function of the security forces."
"We say that no man, in a very complicated difficult situation, leave it to the professionals to try to preserve and safeguard Belizean sovereignty. Don't do what you are doing, which if we respond the way you want us to, we are saying Mr. Maheia and the others, will inevitably result in some kind of shooting incident in which the civilians will no doubt be caught in a crossfire."
Later on we'll have more Guatemala talk. You'll hear from PUP Deputy Leader Julius Espat on why he is not with his party's plan to say yes to the ICJ.
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