Prime Minister Said Musa has gone on record to say that he believes a resolution to the Belize-Guatemala territorial differendum lies with the International Court of Justice. But before Musa takes it to the ICJ, he'll have to take it to the Belizean people in a referendum. It's an issue that will surely evoke fiery public debate which is probably why SJC students chose it as the topic of the 17th annual Signa Yorke Memorial Lecture. The topic is: 'the implications of taking the Belize-Guatemala differendum to the International Court of Justice. It's scheduled for next Tuesday and Director of the Belizean Studies Resource Center Yasmine Andrews gave us a preview.
Yasmine Andrews, Belizean Studies Resource Center
"We're having Ambassador James Murphy who has written a couple of books on the issue itself. And we're having former Minister of Foreign Affairs Godfrey Smith who will look at the pro and cons of the issue. And then we're having current Ambassador to Guatemala Alfredo Martinez and he will be taking the perspective of more on the ground issue in Guatemala.
This is a national issue. This is critical and crucial for all Belizeans to be informed of exactly what is included in this entire thing, this Belize-Guatemala thing.
If and when that referendum should occur, where the Prime Minister would need the Belizeans consent if this was to be taken to the International Court, then Belizean people need to be informed. They need to know exactly what the terms of reference will be. They need to know exactly how it will affect every Belizean and so in order then to make an educated and informed decision at that point in time. So this topic is very critical and it is crucial and I invite all Belizeans."
The Signa L. Yorke Memorial Lecture will be held on Tuesday at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall beginning at 7 pm.
