Government

On the request of the Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, acting pursuant to Section 4 of the Belize Territorial Dispute Referendum Act, (Act No. 6 of 2019), the Governor-General of Belize issued a Writ of Referendum for the holding of a referendum on May 8, 2019, to submit to electors the question, “Do you agree that any legal claim of Guatemala against Belize relating to land and insular territories and to any maritime areas pertaining to these territories should be submitted to the International Court of Justice for final settlement and that it determine finally the boundaries of the respective territories and areas of the Parties?”

The national referendum on whether to settle the ongoing Guatemalan claim to Belize at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has been postponed until further notice, after the Court of Appeal, in a majority decision, upheld the injunction granted to the People’s United Party (PUP) on April 3rd to halt the referendum.

The national referendum scheduled for April 10, 2019, on whether to settle the Guatemalan claim to Belize at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has been postponed after Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin granted an interim injunction sought by the People’s United Party (PUP). The decision was handed over on Wednesday, April 3rd at the Supreme Court in Belize City. A new referendum date will not be announced until a claim on the writ of the referendum is heard in its first session scheduled for Monday, April 8th. Chief Justice Benjamin noted that there is an arguable case and that Prime Minister Right Honorable Dean Barrow did not properly follow the law when he had the Governor General sign the writ to proceed with the referendum.

The proposed $1.25-billion-dollar budget by the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) was heavily criticized by the Opposition, the People’s United Party (PUP) during its initial debate from Monday, March 25th through the 26th in the House of Representatives. One detail that caught the attention of the Belize Rural South (BRS) constituency, particularly Ambergris Caye, was the minuscule budget designated for the number one tourism destination in the country and top revenue earner.

Former Ambassador and Minister of Foreign Affairs Assad Shoman and Jordan Craig from the Citizens for the Defence of Sovereignty held an informational session with islanders regarding the Guatemalan claim to Belize ahead of the national referendum on whether to take the issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The lack of enforcement, support, and disregard for local authorities on La Isla Cariñosa has the Caye Caulker Village Council (CCVC) in a desperate situation as they try to set order on their island, despite residents and stakeholders not complying with regulations. The CCVC is contesting the use of public spaces, construction of unauthorized structures, importation of vehicles, improper sewage waste disposal and even the building of piers that threaten to saturate their coastlines.

The Government of Belize (GOB) has moved swiftly to avoid the threat of being sanctioned by the European Union, by amending the regulations for both the International Financial Services Commission and the International Business Companies (IBC) Act. Minister of Investment, Trade, and Commerce, Hon. Tracy Panton introduced bills with these amendments, which were rushed through their three readings for swift approval with bi-partisan support in the House of Representatives in Belmopan last Friday, March 15th.

The $1.256 billion proposed budget highlights the country’s external deficit, debts, and optimism in the growth of the economy. No new taxes were introduced. However, there were adjustments to balance expenditures and revenues. As for possibilities of any projects to benefit Ambergris Caye, the budget presentation did not include any concrete plans.