PM Wants P.U.P. to Re-Engage in Talks

Dean Barrow

The People’s United Party announced on the eve of the Washington meeting that they would be withdrawing from the process because government didn’t appear to be serious in its talks with Guatemala. The Opposition proposed the formation of a national team with a clear, structured agenda and a timeline, as opposed to what they called the overwhelming show of love and affection by Foreign Minister Elrington, which seemed to be the only thing coming out of talks with Guatemala. It doesn’t seem that the P.M. will be heeding that call, though he did say today that he is hopeful that the P.U.P. would re-engage.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“It’s a matter of great regret to me but nobody informed me. I just heard from C.E.O. Sylvester from one day to the next that the Leader of the Opposition had called him to say that Mister Courtenay would not accompany the Belize side to Washington and that’s as far as I know. This matter is so important that I would be extremely pleased if they were to reconsider. I don’t think this is something that we want to play politics with and I will not voice any suspicions that that is what is happening. All I will do is repeat that it is a matter of regret to me that they are no longer involved and I would invite them to renew their engagement with government so that we can pursue a truly national effort.”