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Wilfred Peter "Sedi" Elrington (born 20 November 1948)CARICOM Law - Hon. Wilfred Peter Elrington
Caribbean Community The Caribbean Community (CARICOM or CC) is an intergovernmental organization that is a political and economic union of 15 member states (14 nation-states and one dependency) throughout the Caribbean. They have primary objectives to promote econom ...
. (accessed 9 October 2014)
is a
Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wate ...
an politician who has been the Foreign Minister of Belize since 2008.


Biography

Elrington read law at the
University of the West Indies The University of the West Indies (UWI), originally University College of the West Indies, is a public university system established to serve the higher education needs of the residents of 17 English-speaking countries and territories in th ...
. He is the only Belizean who has served in the
executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive d ...
, the
legislative A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government. Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known a ...
and the
judicial The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...
arms of government, having served as a part-time judge of the
Supreme Court of Belize Supreme may refer to: Entertainment * Supreme (character), a comic book superhero * ''Supreme'' (film), a 2016 Telugu film * Supreme (producer), hip-hop record producer * "Supreme" (song), a 2000 song by Robbie Williams * The Supremes, Motown- ...
. Elrington was the Attorney-General of Belize and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade from February 12, 2008 to 2010. A reshuffle of the Cabinet in 2010 left him with just Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. In 2012 he was again made the Attorney General of Belize. He remains the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 2009, he successfully managed to turn Guatemala's long-time ally
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
into a partner of Belize. As foreign minister under
Dean Barrow Dean Oliver Barrow, SC PC (born March 2, 1951) is a politician from Belize who served as prime minister of Belize from 2008 until 2020 and as leader of Belize's United Democratic Party. An attorney by profession, Barrow served as Belize's ...
, Elrington is noted for his conciliatory tone regarding the
Belizean–Guatemalan territorial dispute The Belizean–Guatemalan territorial dispute is an unresolved territorial dispute between the states of Belize (FKA British Honduras, British Settlement in the Bay of Honduras) and Guatemala, neighbours in Central America. During the late 160 ...
,Ramos, Adele
"Belize and Guatemala to amend ICJ compromis"
''
Amandala ''Amandala'' is a Belizean tabloid newspaper. Published twice weekly, it is Belize's largest newspaper. ''Amandala'' was established in 1969 as the print organ of the now-defunct United Black Association for Development (UBAD), but has been polit ...
'', 12 May 2015. (accessed 14 May 2015)
a stance which has become especially controversial in Belize in light of 2015 Guatemalan presidential candidate
Jimmy Morales Jimmy Morales (born James Ernesto Morales Cabrera, ; 18 March 1969) is a Guatemalan politician, actor and comedian. From 2016 to 2020, he served as the 50th president of Guatemala. Early and personal life Morales was born in Guatemala City ...
' comments on the issue, which are decidedly pro-Belize annexation.Trujillo, Renee
"Presidential Candidate for Guatemala Says Belize Can Still Be Fought For"
, LOVE FM, 9 September 2015 (accessed 28 September 2015)
Sandra Jovel became Guatemala's minister of foreign affairs in August 2017, and immediately gained Elrington's esteem and respect. In July 2017, as shareholder of the company Progresso Heights Limited, Elrington was taken to court to clarify many transfers of lands where proof of initial ownership cannot be demonstrated. In August 217, he was ordered by the court to provide all documentation related to this affair. That same month, he was part of a delegation representing the Caribbean countries to meet with representatives of the US president
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
. In January 2018, Elrington expressed his surprise when the USA announced it was temporarily stopping to issue temporary work visa programme for Belizeans, on the basis that the country is not doing enough to do more in preventing
human trafficking Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others. This may encompass providing a spouse in the context of forced marriage, or the extrac ...
.


Electoral history

Elrington ran as the UDP candidate for the
Belize City Belize City is the largest city in Belize and was once the capital of the former British Honduras. According to the 2010 census, Belize City has a population of 57,169 people in 16,162 households. It is at the mouth of the Haulover Creek, wh ...
-based Pickstock
constituency An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other poli ...
in
1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
and
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...
, but was defeated both times by former PUP Prime Minister
George Cadle Price George Cadle Price, (15 January 191919 September 2011), was a Belizean statesman who served twice as the head of government of Belize from 1961–1984 and 1989–1993. He served as First Minister and Premier under British rule until inde ...
.General Elections 1993
Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 November 2014)
General Elections 1998
Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 November 2014)
Price retired from the Belize House in
2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, disintegrated during reentry into Atmosphere of Earth, Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an 2002– ...
. That year Elrington ran for the Pickstock seat as an
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independe ...
, but finished second to the PUP's Godfrey Smith.2003 General Elections final results
Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 November 2014)
Returning to the UDP, Elrington contested the Pickstock seat a fourth consecutive time in 2008 and finally prevailed, defeating Smith by a 56-42 margin.2008 General Elections Final Results
Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 November 2014)
He was re-elected in
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gath ...
, narrowly defeating the PUP's Francis Donald Smith.GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS 2012
Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 November 2014)


Personal life

Elrington is married to Barbara Yolanda Jean Elrington and has four children. His brother, former UDP Area Representative Hubert Elrington, also served as the attorney general for Belize."Cablegate: Bio -- Belize Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign"
Scoop Media, 13 February 2008. (accessed 12 May 2015)
Elrington speaks Spanish and is a member of the Trinity Methodist Church. He enjoys farming and journalism.


See also

*
List of foreign ministers in 2017 This is a list of foreign ministers in 2017. Africa * *#Ramtane Lamamra (2013–2017) *# Abdelkader Messahel (2017–2019) * - *# Georges Rebelo Chicoti (2010–2017) *# Manuel Domingos Augusto (2017–2020) * - Aurélien Agbénonci (2016–pr ...
*
List of current foreign ministers This is a list of current foreign ministers of the 193 United Nations member states as well as the Holy See (Vatican City) and the State of Palestine. Foreign ministers of sovereign countries with limited recognition, some alternative governmen ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elrington, Wilfred 1948 births Living people People from Belize City British Honduras people Belizean Methodists United Democratic Party (Belize) politicians Attorneys-General of Belize Foreign ministers of Belize Members of the Belize House of Representatives for Pickstock Supreme Court of Belize justices Belizean lawyers University of the West Indies alumni