And while Briceno says he supports the referendum, and wants to get it right, the UDP sent out a breathless press release saying Briceno wants to do no less than, quote, "block the democratic right of Belizeans," end quote.
The statement adds, quote, "The UDP denounces the PUP's zealous campaign to take away the constitutional right of Belizeans; they do NOT want Belizeans to vote on this matter - they want the politicians to decide." It closes dramatically, saying, quote, "A Referendum delayed is Democracy denied!"
On a slightly more tempered note, well regarded Caribbean commentator Sir Ronald Saunders has weighed in and drawn a parallel between the Belize situation and BREXIT.
In a syndicated column printed across the Caribbean, he says, quote, "Narrow party-political ambitions frequently thwart the wider national interest in practically every country….But it is not in Britain alone that this tragedy of political ambition over wider national interest is being displayed…. On April 3, seven days before a referendum is scheduled to be held in Belize…the Peoples (United) Party, obtained an injunction from the Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin to stay it." He then discusses, quote, "the increasing tendency to eschew agreement among political parties that serve the national interest, and, instead to pursue political advantage even though it may be short-term and harmful to the nation's cause." End quote. He adds, quote, "Guatemala would have been bemused, if not delighted, by the actions that have caused the stay in the referendum. It has sent a wrong signal from Belize. Fortunately, the stay cannot long stand and, one way or the other, either by judicial appeal or by rectification of any encumbering law, the referendum will be held." End quote.
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