Two weeks ago - the Opposition PUP announced that it will say "No" to the ICJ. Well, today, the Dean Barrow Cabinet - according to an official release - quote, "unanimously reaffirmed its position that a 'Yes' vote in the April 10th Referendum…is the right decision for Belize…"
This follows up on a collective position first announced in May 2018, where the caveat was that a 'Yes' vote, quote, "ought to be recommended to the people of Belize without prejudice to individual members of Cabinet reserving their right to disagree."
Well, it seems, they have now agreed to agree. Today's release makes it clear, quote, "All members of Cabinet are now fully convinced that Belize needs to take this matter to the ICJ and put an end to this unfounded claim once and for all…"
The release goes on - at some length - to make a persuasive pitch for a "Yes" vote. If the release seems to be a bit redundant, it's a signal of a start of the drive to April 10th - referendum day - where the UDP's machinery is now under a political imperative to secure a majority Yes vote.
And while the UDP is signaling that it's revving up its political engine, the PUP Leader John Briceno will be meeting with his party's 31 standard bearers and the national executive tomorrow to announce the opposition's final and formal position on the ICJ. But, it's really just a formality, because two weeks ago - under pressure from his party's hardliners, Briceno put out a statement saying, quote, "I am certain that in the final analysis, our Party will say NO to the ICJ."
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