What Does Opposition Want?

Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington

The Opposition withdrew from talks with Guatemala because it was not kept wholly in the loop and has said that it had no confidence in the conduct of the FM as it relates to the claim. Here is how Elrington puts it.

Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“The only negative we had is that for the first time in our history we have not had an opposition that has been clear on its position as to what do we do.  That is the present opposition; it has not been able to make a single statement as to whether or not they want the matter to be resolved at the I.C.J.  It seems as if the leadership of the P.U.P. is not even in a position to come to a conclusive decision on that matter.  With respect to people like Eamon Courtenay, he is on record as saying publicly, and we have it on tape, that the I.C.J. is the only way to go, but he changes his views depending, it seems to me, on the circumstances.  Now he seems to be resiling from that position or he seems to be qualifying that position by suggesting that he is not prepared to go while I am the foreign minister.  How that impacts the matter I don’t know. The truth and the record is, according to Insulza, the O.A.S. Secretary General who was charged of these matters, the decision that we made when we signed the Special Agreement to go to the I.C.J. was the best decision that has ever been made in the history of the dispute and that was under my watch.  But they seem to have a very great problem with my handling of this matter and seem to be confusing those people who want to follow them and distorting the truth.  The truth is that we are going on a very clear path and we are making strides, tremendous strides.  The entire international community is on our side in terms of helping us to prepare for the referendum.”