And tonight we have the final installment of last week's extended interview with Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington. We asked Elrington about the ICJ Education Campaign from which he has been removed - so that he doesn't say anything inflammatory. But, he's such a liability to his government's "Yes" campaign that there's a disclaimer about him on the government's referendum website. We asked him about that:..
Hon. Wilfred Elrington - Minister of Foreign Affairs
"But I am not integral to the team, I'm really about peripheral. So that intemperate statement which I may make cannot be put at the feet of the team, because I am not integral to the team."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"But you are such a public risk."
Hon. Wilfred Elrington - Minister of Foreign Affairs
"I am a public risk in what way?"
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"I want to quote from the ICJ website, because this is from the government of Belize and it says: "What do you say to those who claimed that they support going to the ICJ, but not under Sedi Elrington? When the matter goes to the court Mr. Elrington will not argue the case. The best international lawyers in the world will be arguing for Belize. We are choosing the ICJ to argue about the facts and the law. On that basis we have nothing to fear in the court." That is true. But I'm saying because you are such a public risk with your intemperate statements. There is a disclaimer on the government website."
Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"Jules, the people who said that are some disgruntled leaders in the PUP. That's where the statement came from. They would never have voted for me. I would have to be again crazy to be following the statement and the advice of the PUP."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"But sir, this is a government website. This is foreign affairs. This is the referendum unit, sir."
Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"And I am not saying no. Am I saying no?"
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"You're not."
Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"I am saying the people who take that position are in the opposition. Now you have people in the government who take it necessary to respond to that. That's their business. I don't control them. That's why you have different people thinking about different things."
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