The Secretary General of the OAS, Albert Ramdin is in Belize for diplomatic week - and today, after taking part in a Trade and Investment Dialog, he held a press conference with the Foreign Minister at the Caribbean Motors conference room.
He's visiting Belize at a critical time, when there have been multiple incidents of Guatemalan aggression on the Sarstoon river.
And while the Sarstoon isn't a part of the OAS-approved adjacency zone, there have been reports that OAS investigators are sometimes reluctant to enter the zone, for fear of their lives. It's a difficult and dangerous trek, especially if they stumble upon hostile Guatemalans who have encroached upon Belizean territory.
Today he conceded that there are difficulties with border disputes and incursions:
Albert Ramdin, Secretary General of the Organization of American
"In terms of our activities in the adjacency zone, those are well described what needs to be done and indeed the investigation of complaints, incidents and so on is taking place, I have not been reported that over the past years it has become difficult. It's not an easy exercise, but we have a competent team of members of the adjacency zone. They are committed, they are really working hard to not only investigate but also report. And those go to both governments. Recently they have acquired equipment to do better, a more precise work in terms of location and so on. So I certainly will look into if there are issues. But we have not been reported as such that that is the case. So again, the agency soon provide services to both countries and is really facilitating a process of peace and stability in an area which where I have been able to observe where communities for Belize and Guatemala, at the level of the people communicate and work with each other, engage in a very peaceful manner. Again, a good example for the hemisphere, for the world."
