Elrington Says Belizeans Are Provoking Guatemalans at the Sarstoon

The head of this country, Prime Minister Dean Barrow, has condemned the aggressive actions of the Guatemalans at the Sarstoon, not only in the wake of this last incident but on a previous occasion when Guatemalan military attempted to stop a BTV expedition from entering the river. In separate press conferences, the Prime Minister has expressed in no uncertain terms that Guatemalan military has come into our seas without authority. Elrington in the House today claimed that Belizeans are actually provoking the Guatemalans at the Sarstoon and incredibly claimed that Belizeans can be accused of being stalkers.

Wilfred Elrington

Wilfred Elrington, Area Representative, Pickstock

“Guatemalans see some of our actions as provocative. Provocation is a very funny thing as you will well appreciate Mister Speaker—you are an attorney and an excellent one at that. Classic case of provocation; people don’t understand it. While it is quite lawful for you to walk all over Belize, left right and center, it is not lawful for you to follow somebody—from morning till night. It is a criminal offense. They call it stalking; they will charge you and fine you or put you perhaps in prison. It is a criminal offense. And you can’t stand up outside a person’s house all day and look in there, they will become uncomfortable and frighten and the police will lock you up for loitering. What gives people provocation? Different people are provoked by different things. When people get provoked they do crazy things. So we in Belize must do all in our power to avoid provocation. And particularly people in the media, I find it so incomprehensible Mister Speaker that we had so many knowledgeable people about the Guatemalan issue. And whenever the issue comes up, especially involving the Sarstoon, the most prominent media finds the least informed person to interview ad nauseam. People who they interview can’t even talk, can’t even articulate their views properly. But the media invariably seek them out. What are you trying to do to your population? In my view it is an injustice. You are doing a disservice to your population.”