Attorneys Elrington and Peyrefitte represent farmers
Attorneys Hubert Elrington and Michael Peyrefitte, representing the farmers were at the scene earlier in the thick and thin of things.
Hubert Elrington, Attorney, Cane Farmers Association
“Myself and Mr. Peyrefitte, we are both lawyers and we are here to assist the cane farmers and see how we can resolve this matter and see what is the position in relation to this dispute.”
Kendra Griffith
“Have you spoken with Mr. Magana?”
Hubert Elrington
“Yeah, I was here yesterday.”
Kendra Griffith
“For today though?”
Hubert Elrington
“No I’ve just arrived here today and Mr. Magana and Mr. Peyrefitte has just arrived. So we are going to have the meeting with Mr. Magana and the Executive and see where we go from there. Should want to have a confrontation, you don’t negotiate with two riot squads, your not fighting Guatemala.”
Kendra Griffith
“The PM has said that how he is willing to meet tomorrow if the trucks move. Do you think that you will be able to get them to agree to that?”
Hubert Elrington
“Well, I will not commit myself to that but if he says to them I am going to meet with you tomorrow, then I think they need to give sufficient weight to do it.”
Alejandro Gonzalez, Cane Farmer
“Well why he didn’t come today? He had to go to Radisson Fort George first? We noh have no farmers in Radisson Fort George. The farmers are over here in Orange Walk.”
Hubert Elrington
“Listen to me, I am in agreement with you but there are times when with the best of will the government might not be able to be here today, but if he is saying he’ coming here tomorrow to meet with you all, maybe you should discuss it.”
Alejandro Gonzalez
“It’s today we want you because this thing is going longer and longer.”
Kendra Griffith
“But the PM says he doesn’t want to meet under this…”
Alejandro Gonzalez
“This morning everybody was calm but the Prime Minister wants to attend to Belize first and deh noh have no cane farmers are not in Belize. The cane farmers are in Orange Walk and Corozal. If he would have said that he was going to meet us in Corozal, we have cane farmers in Corozal. The cane farmers are not in Belize so why attend to Radisson Fort George first?”
Hubert Elrington
“Well maybe he mi wah have wah prior point.”
Alejandro Gonzalez
“No, no, no. We noh want no meeting dah Belize City. Right yah dah di north right yah.”
Kendra Griffith
“Sir but what you all do to let this situation not get out of hand? I already see people with rock stones and things like that.”
Alejandro Gonzalez
“Well, that’s what the government is asking for, that’s all. Because if they would attend to us over here. This is the economy of Belize.”
It is five days from the first anniversary of the U.D.P. coming to office and this has been the big first test to their mettle. Coming up later in this newscast, we’ll have a full report on the events that unfolded late this evening in Sugar City with Kendra Griffith.
