A Bi-Partisan Approach to the I.C.J., Finally
John Briceño
P.U.P. Leader John Briceño confirmed today that the Prime Minister has proposed to appoint a four-member committee as the country moves forward with taking the dispute to the International Court of Justice. The committee will be comprised of Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington who acts as chair and Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte, both from the government side. According to Briceño, P.U.P. Senator Eamon Courtenay and attorney Leslie Mendez have been identified to represent the Opposition.
John Briceño, Leader of the Opposition
“The Prime Minister has proposed a bi-partisan committee of four where the government is appointing two members. As you all know the Foreign Minister is the Chairman of the Committee as well as the Attorney general. I have presented to the parliamentary caucus that I am nominating Eamon Courtenay our lead in that committee. I am also asking Leslie Mendez, a young lawyer, to be a part of this. It is important for us to start to get our younger general get involved in this, intimately involved so that they can carry on. We are not going to be here forever. So it is important for us to reach out to young, dynamic, intelligent hardworking determined persons to be part of the process.I have also spoken with Ambassador Assad Shoman. We were to meet this morning but unfortunately I couldn’t. I meet with him face to face when he comes back. But he has assured me, and he has met with Senator Courtenay, this committee as the co-agents they will be working directly with this bi-partisan committee. They are going to be reporting to them every step of the way. There is going to be complete transparency with the committee and accountability. The Prime Minister has also, when we have spoken a few times over phone, assured me that he wants us to be able to work together at this issue on every step of the way to ensure that when there is the change of government that we expect shortly that we will be able to continue the work that has already started.”
