Territorial Volunteers will get in trouble; Guats protest
In early April, the Belize Territorial Volunteers traveled to Dolores in Toledo to continue their “Clear the Border” project in which they intend to demarcate the border between Belize and Guatemala. During this second excursion, they alleged that a Guatemalan company called African Palm Plantation had its property on this side of the border. The B.T.V. reported that they saw roads, pastures and corn fields. According to Foreign Minister Elrington, an official protest has been lodged by Guatemala against the B.T.V. and he believes they will get themselves in trouble. News Five also asked him about Guatemala’s recent purchase of six attack planes to patrol the Maya Biosphere, a reserve that borders Belize. Elrington did not fear the Guatemalan military who he contends has had thirty years experience of killing its own people, but rather those who are conducting activity such as illegal logging.
Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“I have gotten a protest from the Guatemalans advising us to do something about their activities. I think that they will get themselves in trouble. I personally believe that the final solution to this problem with us and Guatemala will involve some kind of joint developmental activities between us and them at the border area because we can’t move the country. They can’t move Guatemala and we can’t move Belize. People need to live, people need to survive, people need to exist. So we have been contemplating; certainly I have along with the former Foreign Minister, Haroldo Rodas, and our international partners have been contemplating the possibility of joint developmental projects. In other words we could try to develop the whole string of Mayan ruins that we have, forestry potential, tourism potential.”
Jose Sanchez
Wilfred Elrington
“Is there any concern regarding Guatemala’s buying six attack planes to patrol the Mayan Biosphere which does border approximately half of our border with our country? Do you perceive it as a threat? Is there any concern?
Wilfred Elrington
“I believe that the greater threat to Belize is in the migrants who are coming across and who are in fact cutting down the timber and destroying the ruins. I think that is where we are likely to get our problems from because as it is now, Guatemalan military and the Guatemalan military hardware has always been something at the back of our minds. They have always had such a tremendous military potential as compared to ours. The additional plane they’ll get is not really gonna make a difference; they have serious military hardware. As a matter of fact, Guatemalan arm force is going to be a hundred years old very shortly. They have an old arm force; well developed. Also the military is well developed. They have been killing their people for over thirty odd years, continuously. That Rigoberto Marchu, she came to prominence in consequence of that kind of activity. The last time when the Guatemalans captured the Belizean security forces, our position as that they were within Belizean territory as well. You don’t play into harm’s way. I’m saying to you, we have gotten a protest already in relation to the recent excursion that they took. And it is being suggested that they have announced that they plan to do others. And that is causing the Guatemalans some concern. We have just got to be careful. We, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, can’t do anything more than advice the Belize people that is not a prudent course of action.”
You are a traitor to your country Elrington you and all the thieving ministers and pm need to be locked up for thief and traitorous behavior.
This is intimidation of one neighbor to another, encourage by a timid foreign minister. An effort is being made by Guatemala to discourage Belizeans from knowing what is happening along our Border
Will Mahiea should organize a” Hands along the border ” and invite people from all districts by busloads to stand by the BORDER hold hands in solidarity. Who will get into trouble standing on our side of the border? You mr. elrington as traitor.
yeah and while at it hold hands and sing ring around the roses…
here you are behind your desk in an a/c office and saying” I think they will get into trouble” just what patriotism do you have Mr Foreign Minister. You are a DISGRACE TO OUR COUNTRY AND CONTINUE BEING ONE WHILE U CONTINUE IN THAT OFFICE.
So let me get this straight the Foreign Minister is speaking out against Belizeans who are rightfully on Belizean soil and are engaged in some public good, but he is not speaking out against Guatemala who have and still are encraoching on Belizean soil?
Tell what’s wrong with this picture? Is it that they are exposing your short commings as the foreign minister.
Tell you what after they have done all this leg work for you you should have the necessary pictures and footage to stage a protest to the international community! Your comments are sickening!
He speaks another language — his lips are moving, but he’s not saying anything.
I do note he used the terms “final solution” and “room to live,” [lebensraum] which were both used by Hitler — maybe that’s where he reads to learn diplomacy.
He sounds like a defeatist, we can;t beat the Guat army, so let’s surrender to them.
NEVER! And I think a smart government could develop a winning military strategy to bleed the Guats to an unacceptable level. We don’t need to conquer Guat City, we just need to send home a lot of Guat soldiers in body bags, so the Guat civilians howl for peace.
I don’t think Sedi or Saldivar are the right men to save the Jewel.
TRAITOR to ur own country.. in fact this is no longer ur country dats u no care abt d Belizean ppl. here he is talking abt BTV getting in probelm wen in fact he should tell guatemala to REMOVE Belize on their stupid passport..
IMMGRATION… DO NOT STAMP THOSE ILEGAL Passports. do not even let a guatemalan set foot on belize soil with dat passport.
He speaks another language — his lips are moving, but he’s not saying anything.
I do note he used the terms “final solution” and “room to live,” [lebensraum] which were both used by Hitler — maybe that’s where he reads to learn diplomacy.
He sounds like a defeatist, “We can’t beat the Guat army, so let’s surrender to them.” He’s no Winston Churchill, who pledged to “fight them on the beaches,” and “we’ll never give up!”
NEVER! And I think a smart government could develop a winning military strategy to bleed the Guats to an unacceptable level. We don’t need to conquer Guat City, we just need to send home a lot of Guat soldiers in body bags, so the Guat civilians howl for peace.
I don’t think Sedi or Saldivar are the right men to save the Jewel.
THAT PASSPORT THING WILL BE ANOTHER MONEY MAKING IDEA FOR THE IMMIGRATION !!!
BRIBES WILL FLOURISH !!!!
CLOSE THE BORDER AND SEE WHO SUFFERS….ERLINGTON, WHO ELSE, ONLY HE IS A GUATEMALAN PATRIOT, HE IS A HERO TO GUATEMALA !!!!
ERLINGTON IS A GUATEMALAN HERO, HE LOVES GUATEMALA, AND DISLIKES HIS OWN BELIZEANS.
HE MAY BE THE ONLY COWARD IN BELIZE, AFTER ALL BELIZE IS A BRAVE NATION !!!
Seems as if elrington is the foreign minister of Guatemala.He is saying that you can’t walk inna u own fence,wath about telling guats fi haul them r r r s inna fi dem side outa belize land.Belizeans remember that your vote is sacred and important.Watch who you vote for,your future could be in some inept fools hands.
Correction1: Rigoberta Menchu
Correction2: Guatemala’s civil war was 36 years, ended in 1996 with signing of treaty
Yes Guatemala’s army is large: 800 Guat soldiers for every Bzean soldier
BUT will they really attack? I seriously doubt it.
Minister need fu tek a walk craas border. Maybe BTV can illuminate his path.