7 News Belize

The Best Shot
posted (January 31, 2019)

And, last night on Channel 7, Assad Shoman had to have four eyes going because Adele Ramos and Jules Vasquez kept hitting him with their best shot.  It was the show by the same name which we’ve been promoting all week - and here’s a part of the testy back and forth when Jules Vasquez asked Shoman, how can we go to court with a neighbor that does not honour his commitments. They were talking about the Sarstoon Protocol - which the Guatemalans agreed to in Istanbul in May 2016 - but has refused to act on since then.

Jules Vasquez
"How can we have any confidence with a dishonorable, disreputable neighbor to enter any undertaking with them?"

Assad Shoman - Historian
"I have heard that argument, it doesn't convince me and I've heard it in another shape and form as well. I've heard people say, lawyers, politicians of high repute say as long as Guatemala is behaving bad in the Sarstoon we should not go to court and I say because they are behaving bad we should go to court; because they are dishonorable we should go to court because we can't trust them when they just sign a treaty, we can't trust them if they sign an agreement but if they go to court and the court makes a determination, they have to comply with it because if they don't, the security council can make them comply. All the judgements that have been made by the ICJ on territorial issues, all, are already complied with or in the process of being complied with. So they are behaving bad at the Sarstoon, all the more reason to go to court. You know what that reminds me of Jules? The same thing with Independence. People were saying we shouldn't go to Independence until Guatemala agrees to sign and we don't have any more dispute with Guatemala and now they're saying if they behave bad, we don't go to court. So we wait until they behave good, if they behave good we don't need to go to court. The very fact that they are dishonorable and that they are trying to do what they are trying to do in the Sarstoon makes it more urgent that we go to court because if we don't, what, they are going to stop doing that? The only thing that can stop them is a judgement of the court."

Jules Vasquez
"But that might not even stop them because these people have no honor, they don't honor their word."

Assad Shoman
"Fine, they don't honor but then the Security Council will make them honor."

Jules Vasquez
"You know about the transitional provision in the Guatemalan constitution that they do not have to abide by the judgements of the ICJ. You agree that is in the Guatemalan constitution."

Assad Shoman
"I don't care if it is in the constitution."

Jules Vasquez
"You don't care because it doesn't benefit your argument."

And while they hit Shoman with their best shots - most viewers told us it was a draw - so will there be a re-match?  Well - let’s just say - our people are talking to his people.

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