Prime Minister Addresses Speculations on Definitive Agreement

Prime Minister John Briceno has provided a response on why the Cabinet White Paper on the Definitive Agreement had made it for Cabinet review.  Recent weeks have brought about multiple speculations regarding the reason the paper made it on the table for review.  Some of those speculations alluding that certain ministers had wanted to push it through without amendments.  On the flip side to that, there have been ministers who have condemned the contents of the agreement, subsequently rejecting it in Cabinet.  According to the Prime Minister, it was tabled for review and discussion, and was in no way being pushed down anyone’s throat.

Hon. John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize:  “I saw it long afterwards because it is other people deal with that stuff and then when it was time to come to Cabinet I went through it quickly and I said this has to go to the Cabinet for decision to either accept or not to accept and we quickly, immediately as the discussion started we decided we’re not going to accept it and we moved forward. So I can’t go more into the details of the Cabinet. When you write a Cabinet paper that is what you do asking the Cabinet if they want to accept it or not. You don’t put or not you just say if the Cabinet is going to accept it. It went to Cabinet nothing was hidden from anyone everybody a copied of the definitive agreement and then we had a very had a very short discussion because immediately Cabinet felt you know we don’t believe that that was a good agreement.”