An Update on John Briceño’s Listening Tour

Earlier this month, P.U.P. Leader embarked on a countrywide listening tour to get a general feeling of party supporters on taking the Belize/Guatemala dispute to the International Case of Justice for final resolution.  Briceño, who has expressed that he personally supports taking the claim the I.C.J., has been faced with opposition within his own party relating to his matter.  The southern caucus, specifically, has come out against taking the claim to the I.C.J.  So last week, Briceño met with P.U.P. supporters in the south. He listened to the concerns of voters in the Toledo East, Toledo West, Stann Creek West, and Dangriga constituencies.

John Briceño

John Briceño, P.U.P. Leader

“There are a lot of concerns about going to the I.C.J.  A lot of people, the majority of the people that I have met, at this time, they are saying no. A lot of thing has taken place because of fear, of the unknown and what can happen. But yet there are still a number of people that are saying that we need more information, we need to know what the advantages are of going and what are the disadvantages, pros and cons of going to the I.C.J.  It only strengthens my argument that the Government has been doing a terrible job in education the Belizean people when it comes to the I.C.J., and I hear the Foreign Minister is talking about that they are going to spend millions of dollars educating people in the last six months. He said this about two weeks ago and I have not seen anything happened and time is moving very quickly. I am thinking about either if not next week, the following week I will be going to the west to meet with the other executive and leaders in the party. We will not allow the I.C.J. to divide us.”