Ambassador says Belize was invited to pre O.A.S. General Assembly meeting

Nestor Mendez

Belize’s Ambassador to the United States and to the O.A.S., Nestor Mendez, spoke to the media in Antigua, Guatemala late this evening. Mendez told the reporters covering the General Assembly that Belize was invited to the regional meeting.

Voice of: Nestor Mendez, Belize’s Ambassador (Courtesy Krem News)

“The meeting between CARICOM and Central America was organized by the Organization of American States. As a matter of fact, there is a very conscious effort to move beyond just the government’s getting together and getting the C.E.O.s and the private sectors of both regions involved because everybody is aware that government doesn’t really do business. If we are to get business going, it has to be with tremendous involvement or led by the private sector. Belize was in fact invited to the meeting and we transmitted the invitation to several places in Belize. The fact that we were not represented is just that. But we did get the invitation and we sent it. The Assistant Secretary General of the O.A.S. called me a couple times to remind me about it and we reminded our contacts in Belize about the invitation. It was very important for the O.A.S. because Belize is seen as the bridge between CARICOM and Central America. It was very important that we were there; unfortunately we were not. It is unfortunate and even when he came to Belize earlier this year…the last time he came to Belize, he raised it during the meetings with the Foreign Minister and other officials he met so they were pushing really hard for it.”

Trade C.E.O., Mike Singh and BELTRAIDE Executive Director, Nicolas Ruiz, did not attend the SICA-Caricom meeting because they were at an investment forum in the Caribbean.