And, Barrow also weighed in on the efforts of the Belize Territorial Volunteers at the Sarstoon's forward operating base this weekend.
Barrow, of course, took the opportunity to criticise the Briceno administration for not doing enough to protect Belizean territory, he also promised to reach out to the leaders of the BTV for more clarity on the situation. Here are those remarks:
Shyne Barrow, Leader Of the Opposition
"Calls for alarm that the Forward Operating base that we just went to the House of Representatives in a supplementary appropriations Bill for a lot more money than we did almost two months ago in the almost 2 billion dollars budget for the operating base for what is being done, why are we not protecting our territory, these are serious questions and I will certainly speak to the leadership of the BTV to get a clear understanding but on the surface certainly the opposition would be inclined to associate themselves with the demand that the territory be protected and any exposure be addressed immediately by the government, I remember when the UDP was in government the PUP at every turn made the Guatemalan aggression by their navy an issue and politicized the matter. It is not my intention to do that but certainly, the BTV has been consistent in sounding the alarm in protecting our territorial integrity and I certainly intend to speak to the BTV on the surface what it is that they present is very very concerning and I call on the government to address this immediately."
