Two days have passed since the ICJ referendum in Guatemala and we've gotten very little from the government of Belize - other than congratulations for our neighbors who - lest we forget - are claiming half the country.
Depending on who you talk to, Belize is at a crossroads of either peril or promise - and no one from Government has laid out in concrete terms the implications of Guatemala's "yes" vote are for Belize.
Today, the Deputy Prime Minister told us that due to the PM's absence Cabinet has not met to come up with a position yet - but he did comment on Guatemala's quite striking position that if Belize votes "no", then the government would have to find another way to still take the case to the ICJ. Faber says he's not so sure about that!:
Hon. Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister
"We did not meet today, today is Tuesday so we haven't gotten together as the cabinet to assess what has happened. While there are some who are looking at the results and saying this is not what could have been in terms of the turnout for Guatemala, what is clear is that they now have a very clear, according to their legal position as it relates to the referendum. They have a clear mandate now that yes they have agreed to go forward to the ICJ. What is left now is to see if Belizeans will also make that same determination and for us to look actively to name a date and move toward getting the Belizean people to participate in such an activity."
Reporter
"So the Guatemalan foreign minister was asked what if Belize votes no. He said Belize as a country have to find a legal mechanism to go to the ICJ. Is that a possibility?"
Hon. Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister
"If Belizean people would say no, according to the legal mechanism that is set up for us when a referendum is run, there is no other push that we ought to be making. The Belizean people would have spoken emphatically and clear. No matter what, the percentage turn out in that referendum would be. as far as I'm concern we ought not take it any further than that. I don't know if we have had any discussions in that direction, but my vote would certainly be to not go against what the Belizean people would have said loud and clear in a referendum."
Reporter
"How do you think Belize moves forward? If we say no, it looks like we're turning down a peaceful way to settle this and if we say yes, then we're still scrutinized for that. Our faith is in the hands of a tribunal basically."
Hon. Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister
"Absolutely, that is the dilemma that we are in. When we are asked the question and Belize says 'no we don't want to go to the ICJ,' then we are in the same predicament that we've been in for all these years because it would have meant as far as my understanding, an end or failure so to speak to the process that is the most valuable or possible solution that we have seen so far. I really would want to see it go positively."
Reporter
"Wouldn't it be a feather in the cap of this present administration, were it to successfully pull off the referendum, go to the ICJ and emerge victorious in terms of keeping Belize's sovereignty intact?"
Hon. Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister
"That can be said but to me that is secondary. I think a victory in that manner is one that would see a result form the ICJ that is in our favor, is a victory for all Belizeans. It's not a victory for Dean Barrow, not a victory for the UDP, not for the government, it is a victory for this nation that has been plagued by this issue for decades. It is a victory for our children who are going to come up without this cloud hanging over their heads. That is something that we don't even want to talk about in terms of claiming who is responsible and whose victory it is. It is a victory for all of us Belizean people."
Email
Print