Under our parliamentary system, members of Cabinet must support decisions taken by the cabinet. They can lobby and try to persuade fellow members of the cabinet before a decision is taken but should their opinion not prevail they must either support the collective decision or resign. Undoubtedly, there will be areas of disagreement along the way between all members of cabinet but a decision to resign should only be taken if the issue is of such import that a Minister cannot in conscience support the collective decision.
Some Maya leaders have criticized the inclusion of a mandate to address issues concerning indigenous people in the Ministry to be headed by Hon. Liselle Alamilla on two grounds. Firstly, they state that the government should first have consulted the organizations representing indigenous groups on the creation of such a mandate and secondly, they state that such a post should in any case be held by a member of an indigenous community. These concerns stem from a misunderstanding of the proposed ministerial mandate. That there are issues concerning the rights of indigenous peoples is not in question. Sometimes, the best interests of indigenous people may appear to be in conflict with a more comprehensive view of national interests and negotiation between the government and those who have been selected to represent indigenous people. Ms. Alamilla's appointment clarifies who the government's chief negotiator will be in such cases. Obviously, the organizations representing indigenous people cannot appoint both their own negotiators and also those negotiating on behalf of the government.
In the same way, those questioning whether Joy Grant and Liselle Alamilla can perform their Ministerial duties and at the same time remain true to their conservation roots are working on the false assumption that governments are inherently hostile to conservation. This confuses ends with means. Any sensible Belizean government will want to conserve our natural resources but at the same time the government is charged with the difficult task of satisfying the material and developmental needs of the majority of Belizeans. The complicated balancing act of encouraging development, while at the same time protecting the environment, is one that every government of whatever political stripe will face. The solutions favoured by governments to such complex issues will of necessity also be complex. Usually, these deliberations will weigh the risks and benefits of developmental action and inaction against the dangers to the environment and if a decision is taken to act then, various mitigation measures will also be instituted. Environmental agencies have a much easier task since they concentrate only on conservation and hence, their first response is always to oppose any development that might pose an environmental risk however slight that risk might be.
Thus, offshore drilling and drilling in protected areas are not the true issues but rather protection of the reef and the environment in general against accidental oil spills. There are many means towards this end. One possible, but extremely blunt, means to this end is to prevent all drilling but there are many other sharper tools that can be means to the same end. That is why it is important to have a comprehensive and well -informed public debate that fully explores all possible options that can result in something on which we are all in agreement but before any decision is taken. It is quite possible that many people of integrity, including some conservationists, will disagree on the best means but this will not be because they have "sold out" but, because weighing the issues, they have reached their own conclusions.
The four appointed ministers joined the eleven elected ministers in taking their oath of office, in which they swore allegiance to Belize and pledged to carry out their duties without fear or favour. Until proven otherwise, we should assume that this is what they will do. Congratulations to all the new ministers but especially Liselle and Joy, who will face especially hostile scrutiny from some quarters. I have every confidence that these women and men are up to the difficult and exciting work that lies ahead.
The Guardian