Now while that meeting was going on inside the Biltmore, activist YaYa Marin Coleman staged a one-woman protest outside. She told us that the the representatives in the meeting should not be making decisions for the indigenous collective without consulting everyone. We also spoke to the acting president of the National Garifuna Council about Marin’s protest and he said she should bring her views to the meeting. Here are YaYa’s comments first, then National Garifuna Council's Acting President Andrew Castillo’s response.
YaYa Marin Coleman - Activist
"If this is the 4th meeting we are saying who will come back and tell we the decision they are making on African people behalf, they the move full steam ahead with no accountability so I am out here to alert Belizeans, black people in particular, we have a responsibility to pay attention and listen and understand that powerful people never give powerless people the tools of the information they need to become liberated and free themselves so I am out here to alert the people to say listen what is happening in Best Western right now they are plotting the future of African people, black people in Belize."
Courtney Weatherburne
"Are they allowing anyone in, can you go into the meeting?"
YaYa Marin Coleman
"I was invited to the meeting but I know who they people Maya Angelou say when people show you who they are the first time believe them. It really matters that one we don’t sit at their table and when we do it is just you know place mat, you don’t come with the intention to change or amend policies and create a serious power shift where African black people in Belize will fee included in every sphere of their life cultural, political, social economical so we have a meaningful quality of life."
Courtney Weatherburne
"Aside from being out here, don’t you see it important to take this protest in there and let them know how you feel."
YaYa Marin Coleman
"I have no intention, none, I am very clear, another issue that is an issue in there is a class issue so you have a number of mis-educated people who think say things the happen with them and nobody the study the roots people, the everyday people and they are the majority of people in Belize."
Andrew Castillo - Acting President, National Garifuna Council
"This is what YaYa Marin needs to do, become a part of the conversation than be the conversation because what she is doing right now does not help her, it does not help us so rather than protesting out there, be a part of it, like there is something you may learn that is my suggestion to her."
Notably, we did not receive any invitation to cover the SICA event and it is Marin’s protest that drew our attention to it.
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