BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – Prime Minister John Briceño has defended the decision to allow former foreign affairs minister Eamon Courtenay to remain in the cabinet, even though he resigned at the end of last year.
The foreign affairs portfolio has since been taken up by Education Minister Francis Fonseca and Prime Minister Briceño, who told reporters that notwithstanding Courtenay’s departure, he leaves behind a competent team capable of handling the demands of the Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade desks.
He reiterated that Courtenay’s decision to leave was based on a three-year commitment he had given before taking up the position.
“As much as I would have wanted for him to stay, he felt it was time for him to move on, but he was also very grateful that he decided to stay on as the Leader of Government Business in the Senate and have Cabinet privileges.
“By that, I simply mean that this is not the first time that this has happened. Remember the late Fred Martinez, the UDP (United Democratic Party) government, when he was leader of government business had him attend cabinet meetings.
“ For us, it is important to continue to have former minister Courtenay, now as the Leader of Government Business, to be also able to participate in Cabinet meetings whenever he can because he also has a hectic agenda,” Prime Minister Briceño said.
Briceño said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade has competent people, so he is “very confident that they are going to continue that work, that amazing work, that historical work that Minister Courtenay did when he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.”
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