Who paid cash for the shooting death of illegal Guatemalan gold panner?
Wilfred “Sedi Elrington
A compassionate grant for the family of the Guatemalan national Francisco Quinn Yat has stirred up an ants nest. Social activists have condemned payment of the grant on the grounds that Belizeans who have been killed by the B.D.F. have not received compensation and that Quinn Yat was in fact illegally in Belizean territory when he was shot in self defense by the B.D.F. The amount that was paid or who paid, however, remains nebulous. The Secretary General of the OAS, Miguel Angel Insulza says it was not paid from the OAS Peace Fund. In Guatemala City on Monday, this is what Foreign Minister Elrington said about the incident and the compassionate grant.
Wilfred “Sedi Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“When incidents of this type happen, governments have to take a responsible position. This person has died; the person was trespassing in our country, the person was stealing in our country, but that doesn’t mean that the person does not have human rights. But it is a life; it’s a life. So it always causes some concern. The level of concern is different. Just like in Belize City. If somebody dies in Belize City it is a matter of concern. We have them there to defend our territory, but the problem is that in the process of defending himself, a life is lost. But whether the guy was trespassing in our country or not, the result of the reporting of that incident creates tremendous problems in Guatemala. Just about the same time we had the incident in Belize, the Guatemalan military shot and killed about six of their people and I think they injured about thirty-odd others. Up to this day, the people are railing up about it.”
Reporter
“Will we see a move to have more manpower in the area? Is that what one of the mechanisms that will be put in place at this point?”
Wilfred “Sedi Elrington
“I do not know to what extend the Government of Belize has the resources to do that. As you know we are trying to reschedule a bond which is really giving us a tough, tough time. We have to provide for the well-being of the people in Belize City in terms of medicines, in terms of salaries. These are exceedingly difficult time. My understanding is that it is really based on compassionate grounds—these people are totally indigent; absolutely indigent. And if the breadwinner is dead, it was just thought that it was a good gesture and that was basically what motivated us to do it.”
Reporter
“And it is coming completely or totally from the Peace Fund; the Government of Belize does not have to give anything?
Wilfred “Sedi Elrington
“No the Government of Belize contributes to it.”
Reporter
“Can you say how much? It was ten thousand U.S.?”
Wilfred “Sedi Elrington
“I can honestly say to you that I don’t know the quantum, but you can find that out if you are to contact the C.E.O. in my ministry but I don’t know the quantum. We at the cabinet decided that we should give some humanitarian assistance, grant. But that was left to be quantified through the official with the ministry of foreign affairs technical people. They have a mechanism whereby it is done.”
That is not the only discrepancy in the past few days. Minister Elrington said there was a diplomatic crisis; the Guatemalan Foreign Minister said there was not. This afternoon, the People’s National Party joined the Belize Coalition for Justice in demanding the removal of Elrington. The Release says in part, “The Foreign Minister has demonstrated on multiple occasions that he is clearly unable to properly articulate and represent the sovereignty of our country. We believe that the Foreign Minister is incapable of handling weighty matters of diplomacy. He responds from a position of subservience and reacts nervously to maneuverings of a country that has no moral grounds to its unfounded claim on our country.” In our online poll, eighty-six percent of those who answered the question of whether Elrington is properly representing the country’s interests, said no while fourteen percent said yes.
TRAITOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You should be charged with Treason!!!!!!!!
He is already brain wash by the Guats. So sad he has no cojones for the job. Will Belizeans get some money from Guatemala for the murders or we dont have any rights?. Or we are not humans?. I think sir you need to grow some @#%%& and do your job good. We are not stupid so please dont treat us like we are. I think @Rod can do a better job.
So – let me get this straight .. he admits these man is trespassing, breaking our laws but we give them money – call it what ever you want grant compensation etc… we give them money , so like the gangs we reward them for wrong done. so all those mothers, wives. girlfriends and children whose men are being gunned down o our streets should line up for similar treatment at home since it is accorded to intruders and foreigners… it is amazing! And is anyone in Guatemala going to compensate the family of the Belizeans killed over in Guatemala? i am not sure we sending the right message paying and it really put our soldiers at a disadvantage, not even when one of them is killed in the line of duty they get such money. I swear he skews the true principles of human rights when it convenient! so what happen to our people’s human rights? now he is surely the perfect example of garbage in, garbage out!
Sedi Neva Ready, Sedi no Ready!!! All what Sedi is thinking about is the amount of money he will make as an attorney, he should think about what Jesus Said “What does it profit a man to gain the world and loose his soul?” I will make it simpler for him, because some of those money people doesn’t believe in God/Jesus, all they believe in is the $$$$$!!! What would it profit him to get bribe Millions of American dollars (US$$$$)by the Guatemalans and other foreign interest groups, and he loose his life to violence perpetrated by low life Guatemalans tugs or desperate Belizeans who cannot get a job because of the crooked Belizeans politicians pocketing the money that should be invested in (Jobs, Infrastructures etc) the country for the good of all its citizens. Better Must Come!!! Muka Baruka.
I will agree to paying the compassionate grant to the family of the guatemalan thief when the guatemalan governments pays compassionate grant to all the families of Belizeans that have been unjustly killed in the gautemalan territory. Until this happens, our government should not pay a penny to these thieves….
“The Secretary General of the OAS, Miguel Angel Insulza says it was not paid from the OAS Peace Fund.” Sedi said otherwise- right? Does this confirm he is a blatant LIAR?
This is in line with this corrupt incompetent impotent pm and gov. Not one person in this gov. Have brains they are giving our country away we need to march on this pm and gov. People or you might be next to die on the streets of Belize in broad daylight in front of your family and friends enough is enough people barrow must be made to resign for incompetence and impotence we need to kick him out of office he is a total failure at his job imagine how many more people will die in 4 more years perhaps another 1 000.00 people and perhaps you will be in that number March belizeans march to the pm house.
The Guatemalan elite backed by the US govt waged a 30 year war against their own Indian people, killed 250,000 of them. Ethnic wars and cleansing are realities, look at Sarajevo, Sudan, Cambodia under Khmer Rouge. wake up Belizeans we need to get our act together, get informed about pros and cons of the ICJ. this is no minor issue, this will determine our fate in the next 20-30 years. if we think we have a problem now in the next 20 years Guatemala will have 30 million strong, what happens then.
ATANACIO Gutierrez was shot and killed by law enforcement officers for riding in the BACK of a truck that slammed across a police barricade in Tower Hill…. he did NOT wield a machete nor attacked openly an officer!!!! Nor was he driving the truck….. And up until today not one cent has come from government to help his INDIGENT family of six who lost their breadwinner!!!
Now a Guatemalan tresspassing, stealing gold from our streams, attacks with a machete one of our officers, despite of warning shots….. his family is given a compensation….
IF GOB had compensated the family of one of our own for his mistake of riding behind a truck that put him on harm’s way….truly I won’t mind GOB giving this guatemalan’s family a compensation (that man’s family has no blame for the ignorance and stupidness of their breadwinner)….
It was about time that our military apply the authority and right to self defense against these trespassers…. I wonder why Belizeans are so cautious about trespassing into Mexico or Guatemala…???
Belizean Taxpayers paid the monies. Our distinguished minister of foreign affairs has a problem with candidness.
The Guats are coming is an old NIP trick schemed up by Philip Goldson and his cohorts. One of those cohorts was the old man Elrington. Thus his kids grew up with that Guatemala fear.
The Guatemalan arm forces are 200,000 strong. Taking over Belize would be like a walk in the park; but they have no such intentions (pressure of bigger countries).
Elrington reminds me of Obama in his final days in office. Fear is a constant. You see it in Obama’s walk, talk and demeanor. Elrington is no exception.
The Guats see the fear in Elrington, and so they pressure him. He squirms (typical of UDP boys) and coughs up money in the hope of appeasement. Nothing less, nothing more.
Belizeans unu wake up, if we tolerate Guatemalans to be collecting from us when in fact they are in the wrong then something is wrong with our government. How much the government owe the Belizeans who got killed then? what good for the gander also good for the geese. So the minister expects our soldiers just to be killed and not to defend themselves? it seems so because if they kill in self defence more Belizean tax money going to Guatemala free . this kind a crap needs to stop. Come on Belizeans lets not tolerate this to happen.
if dehn put dis fool brains eena wah black bird, di dammn bird no wah gat nuff sence fi fly.
This Government gets dumber by the day. No solution to crime…no solution to our border dispute…not solution to a jobless country…no solution to our economy…no solution to anything. Only solution for the ministers: Fancy SUVs worth millions.
Belize have no real leaders except these fools in government. Continually betraying the belizean people and the country, these trash needs to go.
1. If public money was used, GOB has no right to hide it from us or lie about it. It’s OUR money being spent, and GOB works for the PEOPLE OF BELIZE. Let’s end the lies and multiple, conflicting stories and get at the truth about publuc money. That’s basic.
2. Since Sedi has challenged pretty much every patriotic civil organization, I’d like to see them all work together to organize a day of national protest and strike, just to remind GOB who its boss is — the people.
3. It’s true that Guatemala as a nation has a huge population, but it is also true that they have their own serious internal problems, cartels, corruption, continued poverty among the Mayan communities, and racism. Rather than waste money by making a gift to one trespasser’s family, maybe we should begin encouraging anti-government forces within Guatemala. If the Guat government is busy putting out fires at home, it will have less energy to threaten the Jewel.
I think its time for a REVOLUTIONARY uprising as onviously we the people are not being represented.
wat kind of nonsense is belize trying to do… more guats will start to come and steal our natural resources den..first elrington seh unu build unu own lab den pay guate thieves!!!!!! he is more guatemalan dan belize.. he is in more for the $$$$ dan d people.. dis yah crowd of udp traitors haffi go…
I feel like SEDI done collect, that is why he so cooolll. SEDI collect from the Guates ( the very ones he preached against) loonngg time!!
I saw the press conference aired on Guatemala news. I felt shame in being belizean and represented by Elrington. To begin with, he was cracking his fingers the entire time, which is an obvious sign of nervousness. This confirmed ( after his ” artificial border” disgrace, that he was really not the person to be representing us). I believe he tries to cover his mediocrity with an air of arrogance but that will only work so far. Next, and equally shaming, was the fact that the guatemalan foreign affairs minister was sitting at the center, with Elrington and Souza flanking him. I thought: how can Elrington allow this? This setting clearly made everyone realize that this was not an OAS press conference, it was a guatemalan press conference, which was being endoresed by the OAS and Belize. Elrington is really a disgrace but Barrow will not remove him because he really can’t do any better. I thing that Fred Martinez would do a far better job at this that that fool Elrington. He is not only incompetent, he is totally outmatched and is a national embarassment.
Harold Caballeros (foreign minister in Guatemala) is brain washed about the whole issue concerning Belize. You see the Guatemalans grew up fron birth and taught in schools and all their lives Belize is theirs. Not so long ago at the western border there was a huge sign “Belice Es Nuestro” – “Belize Is Ours” on their side. Also their map included the entrie country of Belize as part of Guatemala. These people are in need of proper schooling of the same amount of time they were and continue to be brain washed. We got independence from Great Britain on September 21, 1981. That says it all! No Case At All!!! It’s an insult to even muster the imagination to try and attempt to suggest Belize is to defend itself against a rogue nation. Rogue because the world opinion in the commonwealth differs in laws and the rule of law of a sovereign independent nation under the commonwwealth with respects to what Guatemala wants. What happened to the battle of St. George’s Caye when the British beat the Spaniards? I’m only questioning to try and rationalize the down founded claim Guatemala has on Belize. By what right or where is the evidence to support such a claim? If we are to vote and decide for or against the ICJ then we need to know Guatemals has all cards on the table and for our government not hiding anything from the people. All parties on all sides of the issue must be involved and prove Guatemala even has a case first before even hinting about ICJ. So far the Belizean public if you ask them what is the reason or why Guatemala wants Belize, no one has a specific or definite answer. How could we give up our rights as a country to the International Court of Justce when Justice in itself is thwarted? How could we trust anyone as a God fearing peaceful and loving nation who never knew war, for first world countries after the raping and plondering our natural resources and left us to dry out in the cold, trust the same to judge in the name of justice? Belize is in a state of extreme, very extreme urgency! We need to join together as one people. Does not matter who we are! Most rich people have their money outside Belize and will not suffer the consequence. We must demand closure sooner than later. Vote no to the ICJ!!! VOTE NO!!! The best part of a game is not playing it! The world is twisted for us to think we will ever get a fair shake on any matter. All odds are against Belize, Our Beloved Nation! Remember when it is all dark and think there is nothing we could do, we must not accept defeat! We must turn all against us and make it right and just! For there to recognize darkness there must be light, and vice versa. We need to find a balance and show the world the injustice falling down in Belize!!! Why not let the world decide? We must plea our case to the world! Make the world know evil is rampant!!! We need the world to help us or we will drown in our own vomit! Would you rather die now trying or die knowing you could have done something and did not have the balls to do so and die a coward!!!