A High-level Meeting to Dissuade BTV from Upcoming Sarstoon Trek
Wil Maheia and the Belize Territorial Volunteers are unyielding in their goal to return to the Sarstoon on Saturday where they plan to commemorate the hundred and fifty-seventh anniversary of the signing of the 1859 Treaty between Britain and Guatemala. The group’s persistence flies in the face of the Prime Minister’s warning on Monday, dissuading them from venturing into that area of southern Belize. The Sarstoon River remains a controversial location since Guatemala is now exercising sovereignty over the entire tributary. Maheia’s determination to proceed with the expedition has prompted a meeting with high-level national security and foreign affairs officials to be held on Thursday in Punta Gorda. While the Belize Defense Force will not be providing cover for the trip, Brigadier General David Jones is optimistic that they will persuade the BTV to stand down from the scheduled trek this weekend.
Brig. Gen. David Jones, Commander, B.D.F.
“No, we don’t intend to provide any support. We are cautioning them to try and listen to them, and heed the advice that we are going to give them to not go into the area, at least at this time. I expect to have a meeting with them tomorrow in Punta Gorda, myself and the C.E.O. from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where we will sit down with Mr. Wil Maheia and his team and we’ll try and convince him not to go. We’re not going to stop any Belizeans from going but at this time where it could be a bit volatile, we’ll ask them not to go at this time.”
David Jones
Reporter
“Sir, now you are meeting with Wil Maheia on Thursday, the admiral as well, I am told and Foreign Affairs. What will be your appeal to him and he says he’s determined, the N.T.U.C.B. has confirmed that they will join him and there ain’t no stopping them. That’s what he said. How will you appeal to him?”
Brig. Gen. David Jones
“Well, we are trying to go and appeal to him in regards to reason. We are aware of his passion, we are of his patriotism but I believe that reasoning and logic in the issues that have been evolving due to the shooting incident, he will be able to listen to us. We are not going to stop Belizeans, we’re not going to stop him, we’re just going to try and ask him, to reason with him to give us an opportunity to try and work out the situation peacefully. Details of that interview or meeting will come out based on the questions that he has and I believe we will be able to convince him, but it’s up to him. If we can unite, join together as one nation that would be the best, but if we have different people, different organizations opposing each other we’re not going to solve the issue. It’s better that we have a united front in dealing with this issue because we have the same aim, we have the same goals and let us try to achieve the same thing by reasoning with one another.”
Does the government have any defense plans should Guatemala invade? Or are going to roll over like France during WW2.
Belizeans pls this is a serious matter.Guats are using their power the army to occupy territory at sarstoon and assert control. The Belize army cannot match the guat army so belize has to act very smart to solve the aggression.guats are using Israel military tactic in palestine to occupy and settle land. We should anticipate that the next move from guats may be to settle people in sarstoon area. At this time the action of the Belize Territorial Volunteers should be discourage and postponed until a further date when we see what gob actions will be. The issue is not lost Belize can still resolve this issue peacefully, there are various ways to achieve it without confrontation. The only issue that will not work is Mr Elrington type of diplomacy.
The U.S. will not allow Guatemala to invade Belize.
I totally agree with Spike and Mel on this..get Elrington out form there as much as looks old,i bet he doesn’t even know the whole history of Belize..Let the queen write to More rass,” i mean”Morales and tell him mek he chill cause he ain’t getting a pinch of Belize..