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And while the members of the PUP enjoyed the air conditioning at Grand Caribe, the UDP were marching in the sun towards the summit - but could only get as far as the bridge – which is about 3 miles away. That's because they were blocked by police from going any further with their illegal protest against the Minister of the Blue Economy and the Belize Rural South Rep, Andre Perez. They said they have no problem with the summit itself, but they demand that Perez resigns.
Courtney Menzies was on the ground and has this story.
This line of cops standing at the San Pedro Bridge was a barrier preventing a little under 100 UDP protesters from crossing over to the investment summit that left opposition supporters to raise their placards, which call for the resignation of Belize Rural South representative Andre Perez for only the cops to see. And according to the vice chairman, it's a breach of their rights.
Alberto August, UDP Vice Chairman
"The people of this country have a constitutional right to association and to movement. What is happening right here now is that this dictator government is restricting the free movement of the people. They're depriving the people of their constitutional right to walk on the streets of San Pedro. All we're asking is for the disgraceful Andre Perez to resign. That's all we're asking. And we are saying if the prime minister cannot get Perez to resign. Then the Prime Minister must leave. We're saying yes to the investors, all of those people visiting. And we want this message to get to them loud and clear. This demonstration is not about the investors on San Pedro. This demonstration is about the disgraceful Andre Perez."
And those protesters travelled far since they're all from the city. That's because the Rural South UDPs made it clear that they don't want to be associated with it. But Chairman Michael Peyrefitte said that doesn't weaken their case.
Michael Peyrefitte, UDP Chairmam
"And the way you put it, people from other parts of the country, they won't come here."
"But every person who is here, who is not from San Pedro, this is equally important as anybody from San Pedro. Nobody's better than anybody. If something was happening in Cayo and people from San Pedro wanted to protest or a picket picketing that would be fine, too."
Reporter:
"Shouldn't the Cayo constituents be a part of it too?"
Michael Peyrefitte, UDP Chairmam
"No, no, no. We are the constituents of the country, when Johnny Briceno raised the price of fuel, you know, only affect people in San Pedro it affects the whole country. When the commissioner police the issue ten gun license to one man in 17 months it not only affect San Pedro. It just so happens that this is where the investment summit is happening."
Reporter:
"What do you have to say to the commissioner saying that you guys protesting is an embarrassment on a public scene."
Michael Peyrefitte, UDP Chairmam
"He's an embarrassment to the police department and the nation because first of all, you can't tell people what they can protest for. Who is he? That's like saying, when I want your opinion, I'll give it to you. No. When we protest, we protest for our cause. As long as we're not breaking any laws, as long as we're not libeling anybody, as long as we're doing it within the Constitution, we have a right to walk any streets of Belize and picket as per section 13 of the Constitution of this country."
"This is this only because it's only because we have respect for the police officers that we are not breaking these barriers. We don't want to cause any problems."
But even withouth the San Pedranos the UDP still got the message across. Even if everybody didn't understand it.
Alberto August, UDP Vice Chairman
"When you are a member of the House of Representative, you must act in a certain. And that's why they call you honorable. They don't call me honorable, I don't have any honorable in front of my name. So when you have an honorable in front of your name and you are serving in the House of Representative, then you must do that, which is honorable."
"This is what we are saying, is that this man, we are just trying to comparison in terms of this man and in terms of Manuel Heredia. Manuel Heredia serve the people of this community for 23 years. And don't hear a scandal, that type of scandal about Manuel Heredia for 23 years."
Reporter:
"But there have been UDP members in the parliament who have faced similar scandals."
Alberto August, UDP Vice Chairman
"Well, I don't know about that. I don't know. But we are here today. We are here today in terms of this matter. We are dealing with the present miss. We do not live in the past. When you live in the past, live a horrible life. When you live in the future, you live in anxiety. We are living in the moment and we are living peacefully."
"We are seeing at the moment we have a disgrace in House of Representative."
Reporter:
"What you think about Ander Perez and the scandal?"
Supporter:
"Well... Who are they? They are PUP?"
And reports are that because of the Rural South UDP's almost unprecedented actions, the standard bearer, chairman, vice chairman, secretary and any other executive member who authorized and published the statement will be expelled by the National Party Council. An emergency meeting has been set for tomorrow, September 1st.
