Sedi says no deal on Sarstoon

By BBN Staff:Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wilfred “Sedi” Elrington, yesterday, denied reports suggesting that he and Guatemalan Foreign Minister Carlos Raul Morales had made an agreement that the Sarstoon river would be off limits to citizens, especially Belizeans, until after the territorial dispute is resolved at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

A document was circulated on social media over the last week, which alleged Morales’ account of the agreement. Elrington, however, said as a minister he is not able to make such agreements without approval from Cabinet. He added that Cabinet has not even discussed the matter and as such no agreement of the like has been made.

According to Elrington, the Sarstoon island has been occupied from as far back as 1859 because of its size and uninhabitable swamp landscape. He said the island is not of much importance in relation to Belize’s border even though it is well established to be in Belizean territory.