P.M. Says Referendum on Pact Bogota would be a Waste of Time and Money

As we have reported, the opposition is calling for a referendum on Belize’s accession to Pact Bogota. Prime Minister John Briceño says that to hold a referendum on Pact Bogota would be a waste of time and money. In responding to the Opposition’s call for a referendum, P.M. Briceño noted that the matter was already decided in the 2019 referendum.

Prime Minister John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño

“We have every confidence that Honduras has zero claims to the Sapodilla Cayes. There are records where there has been writing to the British way back then, asking permission to use the Sapodilla Cayes. So, that in effect is evidence that they have admitted that Sapodilla Cayes belong to British Honduras and now to Belize. So, we are not concerned about that. I know the U.D.P. again, trying to play politics, saying we need to go to a referendum. But, the Belizean people have already gone to a referendum. There point was to say lets settle this at the I.C.J. I don’t think they will say well we want to go to the I.C.J. to settle just with Guatemala but not with Honduras. If we would have told Belizeans back then that also Honduras would have a claim, I am sure they would have said yes to everything. So, why are we going to waste time? Why are we going to waste money? It is important for us to have a definitive settlement for our land borders and our marine borders.”