And while it is an immigration and customs matter, in a sense Belize - Guatemala relations are also the domain of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Today the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wilfred Elrington told us that he would prefer if the Guatemalan drivers didn't come in:
Hon. Wilfred Elrington - Area Rep., Pickstock
"The Guatemalans, apparently, purchase corn from us, and they come in, pick it up, and take it out of the country. But, we've always had some worries about that. Particularly now, the worries have gotten greater because of the blocking and the locking down of the borders. We're not allowing in foreigners, and to that extent, we can't make an exception to the people who drive these trucks, who come in to pick up the corn. The ideal position, really - or let me say, the position that obtains in Mexico and in Guatemala, as far as we are aware, is that our local drivers cannot go across there to bring cargo and the like from there to Belize. Our local drivers can't go into Guatemala. And so, two things happen with respect to that now. Because of the closure of our borders, we're not allowing in foreigners. But, we are very much disposed to having the goods transported by local people, local drivers, local equipment so that we can provide some local employment, and at the same time, prevent foreigners from coming in and contaminating the society. So, if the arrangement can be worked out whereby locals can, in fact, take the corn to the border, and then, from there, the Guatemalans take it through to Guatemala, that would be fine."
As we told you, the protocol coming out of deliberations is not what he would have wished. The Guatemalan drivers of the corn trucks will be allowed to come in, shadowed by a customs guard.
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