It was "PG Day" on Saturday in Punta Gorda Town - a fun and festive occasion. But, area representative Mike Espat wasn't with that - he seemed to have a lot on his mind about the Maya land rights issue - and in his remarks at the opening, he just offloaded.
7News has obtained low resolution video of those remarks where Espat is heard speaking derogatorily of Mayas and stating that the land rights claim - which is an order from the highest court in Belize will sow racial division, separation and a dilution of the government's executive power in Toledo. And as for Greg Ch'oc who is the government appointed Commissioner of Indigenous Peoples' Affairs, he insulting called him "a commissioner of Indian Affairs" - which, again, is derogatory.
Here's are some of his remarks which we were able to obtain:
Mike Espat, Minister of State, Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment
"We are face with a 6-million-dollar debt right now, because we built a road to Jalacte for the people of this country. We did not built that road to Jalacte to satisfy one ethnic group in this country, we built that road for the people of this country Belize - 6 million you know. We have a commissioner of Indian affairs hired by the government of Belize in this town and I will say it now and I will say it again, you cannot have the rat minding the cheese. We have a problem in regards to this Maya cultural movement that we are faced with in this country and I think it is a very bad move that is being made influence by external money and influence and it is going to create a racial divide in this country."
"I have discussed this matter with the prime minister over and over again and it seems to me that we are going up against a brick wall and we need some sledge hammer to break it down."
"The Mayan people come to PG, they can get a lot, they can buy a lot - the leaders of the alliances always - all of them have property. They live in cement houses, they have air conditioned, but their poor people must remain the same and if we remain quiet as members of Punta Gorda Town, they will set a border at Elridge and after you pass Elridge they might charge you to use the road."
