TNAG-1001-FCO40-1237-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-including--Report-of-the-1981 — Page 35

UNCLASSIFIED

6945-

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SUCH MATTERS AS CONSIDERING APPEALS AGAINST ANY ACT OF THE PUBLIC

SERVICES COMMISSION.

4. THE HUMAN RIGHTS CLAUSES AND THOSE RELATING TO THE HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES, THE JUDICIARY, THE BELIZE ADVISORY COUNCIL AND

THE PUBLIC SERVICES COMMISSION WILL BE ENTRENCHED SO THAT THEIR

AMENDMENT IS ONLY POSSIBLE IF APPROVED BY A MAJORITY OF THREE

QUARTERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. NO AMENDMENTS TO THE

CONSTITUTION WILL BE POSSIBLE UNTIL AFTER THE FIRST GENERAL

ELECTION FOLLOWING INDEPENDENCE. ALTHOUGH THE OPPOSITION DID NOT

ATTEND THE CONFERENCE THEY HAD MADE DETAILED SUBMISSIONS TO THE

JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE OF THE BELIZE ASSEMBLY WHICH CANVASSED

BELIZEAN PUBLIC OPINION ON THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS. MOREOVER

REPRESENTATIONS SUBMITTED BY OTHER BELIZEAN ORGANISATIONS MADE

MANY OF THE POINTS WHICH THE OPPOSITION WOULD NO DOUBT HAVE MADE.

THESE WERE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL AT THE CONFERENCE AND RESULTED IN

SOME AMENDMENTS BEING MADE TO THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS.

DATE OF INDEPENDENCE

5. NO DATE WAS SET AT THE CONFERENCE.

HOWEVER THE UN RESOLUTION

SET A TARGET OF INDEPENDENCE BY THE END OF 1981.

RECENT DISTURBANCES IN BELIZE

GOVERNO

6. A STATE OF EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED ON 2 APRIL BY THE GOVERNOR

ACTING ON THE ADVICE OF THE BELIZE SECURITY COMMITTEE AND AFTER

CONSULTATION WITH THE PREMIER. THIS CONTINUES IN FORCE AND HAS

BEEN EFFECTIVE IN CALMING THE SITUATION. THERE HAD BEEN CONTINUED

DISTURBANCES STARTED BY ELEMENTS OF THE OPPOSITION PARTY IN

PROTEST AGAINST THE RECENTLY SIGNED HEADS OF AGREEMENT WITH

GUATEMALA, WHICH THEY ARGUED CONCEDED TOO MUCH TO GUATEMALA, AND

TO THE BELIZE GOVERNMENT'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS. WE DO NOT

ACCEPT THAT THE HEADS OF AGREEMENT DAMAGE THE ESSENTIAL INTERESTS

OF BELIZE. THEY PROVIDE FOR RECOGNITION BY GUATEMALA OF BELIZEAN

INDEPENDENCE WITHIN ITS EXISTING FRONTIERS. THE PURPOSE OF THE

CONFERENCE WAS TO CONSIDER BOTH THE OFFICIAL CONSTITUTIONAL

PROPOSALS AND SUGGESTIONS BY OTHER BODIES.

NEGOTIATIONS WITH GUATEMALA

7.

THESE WILL RESUME ON 20 MAY TO DRAW UP THE NECESSARY LEGAL

INSTRUMENTS TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE HEADS OF AGREEMENT.

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UNCLASSIFIED

/SECURITY AFTER