Foreign Minister Elrington questions his critics

And what does Elrington think of his critics? Well, he questioned where they were when the heads of agreement was on the table.

Wilfred Elrington
“You see all those people whoa re talking about being so nationalistic and talking about traitors? Ask them where they were in 1968 when the Webster proposals came about. You know where I was? Right at that building there demonstrating. I was arrested—radio Belize was up there then. We were demonstrating in this open lot where the bank is. I was demonstrating, throwing missiles, I was arrested, I was charged, I was convicted. That was the
Webster proposal, throwing missiles to the detriment of some policeman. At the Heads of Agreement when that came out, ask them where they were. It’s in all our interests to solve it. How we will solve it, we have first got to get together and to work out a plan together. We can’t handle it on our own. We have to have the assistance of the Guatemalans. We are very lucky that the OAS and other international agencies are very ready to work with us to come up with a plan to protect the forest and to stop the incursions. Thoughts and ideas that they are coming up with is that they may be able to finance the reforestation of Guatemalan side and reforestation of Belize’s side.”

Marion Ali
“But it will be for their use again.”

Wilfred Elrington
“Yes, but if you do the reforestation over there, reforestation over this side, it’s going to create employment, create jobs and then you can find other economic activities that you can help them with; let them produce goods that in fact the international community can help them to get underway and the same thing here in Belize, we get or people to produce goods and services that are not going to destroy the environment”