FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham is now in Belize where he heads a 10-member Commonwealth Observer Group to observe the April 10 referendum to decide the territorial claims between Belize and Guatemala.

The question of the proposed referendum is: “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 group, under the leadership of Mr Ingraham, is composed of 10 specialists from across the Commonwealth with backgrounds in election management, law, gender, civil society, media, and politics.

Both the Group and the Commonwealth Secretariat have taken note of the ruling by Belize’s Chief Justice on April 3, granting a temporary injunction until the Supreme Court further deliberates on the matter, and also notes the appeal lodged by the Government to the Court of Appeal.

The Group will meet a range of stakeholders in this context, including senior politicians, NGOs, trade unions, representatives from the private sector, the Referendum Commission, the Referendum Unit and other observers.

The Observer Group is supported by a four-person Secretariat Support Team led by Martin Kasirye.

• Read Sir Ronald Sander’s column in Monday’s Tribune for a background to this referendum.