Heads of Government Meeting Attended Virtually as Election Nears

Belize is skipping the in-person CARICOM meeting in Barbados. With the General Election just weeks away, the ruling party decided to join virtually to stay in the country and keep campaigning. Minister Fonseca explains their choice.

 

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“We are participating virtually as other countries are. We are participating virtually, Ambassador Lawrence, C.E.O Mai, Ambassador Mai are participating in everything. The only thing we wont be participating is the closed meeting, what they call the summit, which is a few hours where the leaders are alone, completely alone. Not even the foreign ministers are in that meeting. But we are participating in everything else virtually and other countries are doing the same. So, of course not, we have not stopped that at all. Everybody knows we are in election, we have an election and over the years we have been to meetings where other countries have had election and their leaders have not participated because you have to be on the ground. Belize is firmly committed to the work of CARICOM. We are strong effective members of that group and we have strong respect for that grouping.”