But the Opposition can't wait on the Prime Minister to make up his mind. It is determined to put off a major and muscular show of mass opposition to the Universal motion on Friday. And today it got the go ahead to do just that from the Chief Justice. As we reported last night, the police high command had indicated that it would not grant the UDP a permit to protest based on what had happened last week.
Well the Opposition Leader Dean Barrow asked the Supreme Court for an injunction blocking the Commissioner of Police from stopping his party's protest. It went to court this afternoon at 2:30 and within an hour arguments were finished with Barrow for the UDP and Solicitor General Edwin Flowers for the government. Half an hour later, the Chief Justice found that the Commissioner, in this case acting chief Maureen Leslie, had failed to state the grounds for the refusal in her letter to the UDP. With that the CJ restrained the police from not granting a permit to protest.
Speaking with the press outside the courtroom, the Leader of the Opposition was ecstatic.
Hon. Dean Barrow,
"Naturally one of tremendous joy, one of tremendous satisfaction. The will of the people obviously cannot be thwarted and the right to dissent must be upheld. It is a glorious afternoon, it is a glorious day. It is a glorious victory."
Jules Vasquez,
What does this mean?
Hon. Dean Barrow,
"All roads lead to Belmopan on Friday."
Jules Vasquez,
Sir if there is no bond and no permit, does that mean there are no rules. Does that mean you can take out your drums and Mr. Jeffries can't stop or take out your megaphone because no bond will be filled out, the Commissioner is restrained.
Hon. Dean Barrow,
"Hallelujah, it means absolutely that. Since there is no question now of permit being given, since we're dealing with what the court has said, if I was the police I would be very careful about how they interfere in matters having to do with the House and so on."
Janelle Chanona News 5
"What do you tell your supporters as far as their behavior knowing that there is that context there?"
Hon. Dean Barrow
"Well that they must be absolutely energised by this great victory of their party in the courts of this country, that it means though that we are once again being shown how good it is to believe in the rule of law and the rule of law also means that if you are going to have a protest, you do not engage in violence.
So in a way, this is the best thing that could have happened. We have a clear order of the court, the police understand that they cannot in any way interfere with us either in terms of getting to Belmopan or what we do in Belmopan, so long as we do not break any laws."
Jules Vasquez,
Sir do you think at the end of the day that peace will prevail, having seen what we saw last week?
Hon. Dean Barrow,
"I absolutely hope so and I think there is every chance that it can but I need to say again, at the end of the day, why is not the Prime Minister thinking in terms of these considerations, and why is he not doing anything to avert any possibility of chaos on Friday? He has as well to be held to the flame. We in the UDP will try to do our part, but please, the Prime Minister is a huge player in all of this, he is the hugest player in all this, he is the cause of all this. He needs to get the nation out as well and that history will judge him and that the people will judge him terribly if he makes absolutely no effort to deal with this matter."
Jules Vasquez,
[To Edwin Flowers] Is there anything you can say to us?
Edwin Flowers, Solicitor General
"There is nothing I can say. The Chief Justice found that the letter of the Commissioner did not have the reasons for the refusal."
