House of Representatives Sits on Monday to Amend Maritime Areas Act

Michael Peyrefitte

Parliamentarians will meet on Monday for a Special Sitting of the House of Representatives. The special sitting will be to primarily amend the Maritime Areas Act. While this step was expected given the May eighth I.C.J. results, it was not until earlier in the week that government announced that Cabinet had approved the amendment. In 1992, the act was crafted for the specific purpose of aiding the negotiating process that at the time was ongoing with Guatemala.  Since the Belizean electorate voted in favor of the I.C.J., the government will now move quickly to amend the law after which it will officially notify the I.C.J. of the referendum results. Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte has been busy drafting and finalizing the amendment and today he spoke of what the amendment basically is.

Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney General

“The amendment was made in 1992 to try and see maybe we could hopefully come to some sort of settlement with Guatemala. For years now we’ve realized that there would be no settlement because they would not give an inch and we would not give an inch. With the people voting to go to the I.C.J. in the referendum, it is an appropriate time now for Belize to state clearly what we know to be our boundary and what we want the I.C.J. to enforce.”

Reporter

“So that is what will be taken to the House on Monday?”

Michael Peyrefitte

“That is what will be taken to the House on Monday and further debated and ratified hopefully in Senate on Tuesday.”