When Will Government Respond to Military Clash with B.T.V.?

The incident at the Sarstoon River over the weekend, involving members of the Guatemalan armed forces, disrupted BTV’s Sarstoon Eco Challenge.  During that event, Guatemalan vessels entered into Belizean waters.  That, according to former Foreign Minister Eamon Courtenay, constitutes a military offensive, one that the Government of Belize is yet to respond to.

Eamon Courtenay

Eamon Courtenay, Former Foreign Minister

“I regard what happened over the weekend in the Sarstoon as a military invasion on Belizean territory, pure and simple, a military invasion of Belizean territory.  As far as I am aware, you can correct me if I’m wrong, up until now there has been no public statement from the Government of Belize in response to it.  I have no idea whether they have done anything diplomatically.  What I would say is this, it is unacceptable.  The Government of Belize, in my opinion is in dereliction of duty.  The highest duty of any government is to defend the territorial integrity of Belize, to uphold the constitution which defines our territory.  I cannot, for the life of me, understand why the Territorial Volunteers publicly stated what they were going to do, everybody knew it, I have to ask the question, what did the government do about it?  We all know that the Guatemalans hate Wil Maheia.  The government’s attitude is that Wil Maheia and the volunteers are provocateurs, they go there and they provoke the Guatemalans.  Well even if Wil Maheia da bad pickney, he has rights.  Even if he da bad pickney, we have a country with a government that has a duty to protect its citizens.”