Wilfred Elrington

{{Short description|Belizean politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = Wilfred Peter Elrington (cropped).jpg | image_upright = 0.75 | caption = Elrington in 2014 | honorific_prefix = The Honourable | name = Wilfred "Sedi" Elrington | honorific_suffix = LLB CLE | office1 = Member of the Belize House of Representatives for Pickstock | term_start1 = 7 February 2008 | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = Godfrey Smith | successor1 = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|11|20|df=y}} | birth_place = Belize City, British Honduras<br />{{small|(now Belize)}} | spouse = Barbara Wright Elrington | children = 4 | party = United Democratic Party | alma_mater = University of the West Indies }} '''Wilfred Peter "Sedi" Elrington''' (born 20 November 1948)<ref name="born">[http://www.caricomlaw.org/AttorneyGeneralsProfiles/WilfredPeterElrington.aspx CARICOM Law - Hon. Wilfred Peter Elrington], Caribbean Community. (accessed 9 October 2014) {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016085814/http://www.caricomlaw.org/AttorneyGeneralsProfiles/WilfredPeterElrington.aspx |date=16 October 2014 }}</ref> is a Belizean politician who has been the Foreign Minister of Belize since 2008.

==Biography== Elrington read law at the University of the West Indies. He is the only Belizean who has served in the executive, the legislative and the judicial arms of government, having served as a part-time judge of the Supreme Court of Belize.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cananews.net/news/131/ARTICLE/21414/2008-02-12.html|title=New Belize PM names 16-member Cabinet|date=12 February 2008|publisher=CANA News|access-date=25 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314193145/http://www.cananews.net/news/131/ARTICLE/21414/2008-02-12.html|archive-date=2008-03-14|url-status=dead}}</ref>

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.<ref name="News520120314">{{cite news|url=http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/68041|title=B.Q. who no longer; AG Elrington resumes post|work=News 5 Belize|date=2012-03-14|access-date=2012-04-20|archive-date=2018-06-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615111936/http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/68041|url-status=dead}}</ref> He remains the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

In 2009, he successfully managed to turn Guatemala's long-time ally Israel into a partner of Belize.<ref>[http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=15537 Belize & Israel Cement Diplomatic Relations], ''7newsbelize.com'', 16 November Belize & Israel Cement Diplomatic Relations</ref> [[File:Secretary Pompeo Meets with Belize Foreign Minister Erlington (49430286137).jpg|left|thumb|Erlington meets with U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo in Kingston, Jamaica on January 22, 2020.]] As foreign minister under Dean Barrow, Elrington is noted for his conciliatory tone regarding the Belizean–Guatemalan territorial dispute,<ref name="amandala">Ramos, Adele. [http://amandala.com.bz/news/belize-guatemala-amend-icj-compromis/ "Belize and Guatemala to amend ICJ compromis"] ''Amandala'', 12 May 2015. (accessed 14 May 2015)</ref> a stance which has become especially controversial in Belize in light of 2015 Guatemalan presidential candidate Jimmy Morales' comments on the issue, which are decidedly pro-Belize annexation.<ref name="annex">Trujillo, Renee. [http://lovefm.com/2015/09/09/presidential-candidate-for-guatemala-says-belize-can-still-be-fought-for/ "Presidential Candidate for Guatemala Says Belize Can Still Be Fought For"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928193607/http://lovefm.com/2015/09/09/presidential-candidate-for-guatemala-says-belize-can-still-be-fought-for/ |date=2015-09-28 }}, LOVE FM, 9 September 2015 (accessed 28 September 2015)</ref> Sandra Jovel became Guatemala's minister of foreign affairs in August 2017, and immediately gained Elrington's esteem and respect.<ref>[http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/157829 New Guatemalan Lady F.M. Makes Impression on Wilfred Elrington], ''Channel5belize.com'', 19 December 2017</ref>

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.<ref>[http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/149975 Wilfred Elrington Baffled by Case of Missing Documents; C.C.J. Says He Must Return Them], ''Channel5belize.com'', 21 July 2017</ref> In August 217, he was ordered by the court to provide all documentation related to this affair.<ref>[http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/150914 C.C.J. Says Why Wilfred Elrington Must Return Documents], ''Channel5belize.com'', 9 August 2017</ref> That same month, he was part of a delegation representing the Caribbean countries to meet with representatives of the US president Donald Trump.<ref>[https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2017/07/07/caribbean-foreign-ministers-meet-trump-officials/ Caribbean Foreign Ministers meet with Trump officials], ''Breakingbelizenews.com'', 7 July 2017</ref>

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.<ref>[http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Belize_reacts_to_US_ban_from_temporary_work_visas?profile=1228 Belize reacts to US ban from temporary work visas], ''Jamaicaobserver.com'', 19 January 2018</ref>

==Electoral history==

Elrington ran as the UDP candidate for the Belize City-based Pickstock constituency in 1993 and 1998, but was defeated both times by former PUP Prime Minister George Cadle Price.<ref name="nineteen93">[http://www.elections.gov.bz/modules/wfdownloads/visit.php?cid=14&lid=750 General Elections 1993], Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 November 2014)</ref><ref name="nineteen98">[http://www.elections.gov.bz/modules/wfdownloads/visit.php?cid=14&lid=751 General Elections 1998] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016094410/http://www.elections.gov.bz/modules/wfdownloads/visit.php?cid=14&lid=751 |date=2014-10-16 }}, Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 November 2014)</ref> Price retired from the Belize House in 2003. That year Elrington ran for the Pickstock seat as an independent, but finished second to the PUP's Godfrey Smith.<ref name="2k03">[http://www.elections.gov.bz/modules/wfdownloads/visit.php?cid=2&lid=37 2003 General Elections final results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129041601/http://www.elections.gov.bz/modules/wfdownloads/visit.php?cid=2&lid=37 |date=2014-11-29 }}, Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 November 2014)</ref>

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.<ref name="2k08">[http://www.elections.gov.bz/modules/wfdownloads/visit.php?cid=87&lid=39 2008 General Elections Final Results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016094937/http://www.elections.gov.bz/modules/wfdownloads/visit.php?cid=87&lid=39 |date=2014-10-16 }}, Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 November 2014)</ref> He was re-elected in 2012, narrowly defeating the PUP's Francis Donald Smith.<ref name="2k12">[http://www.elections.gov.bz/modules/wfdownloads/visit.php?cid=14&lid=545 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS 2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016104456/http://www.elections.gov.bz/modules/wfdownloads/visit.php?cid=14&lid=545 |date=2014-10-16 }}, Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 November 2014)</ref>

==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.<ref name="wikileaks">[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WL0802/S01642/cablegate-bio-belize-minister-of-foreign-affairs-and-foreign.htm "Cablegate: Bio -- Belize Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign"], Scoop Media, 13 February 2008. (accessed 12 May 2015)</ref>

Elrington speaks Spanish and is a member of the Trinity Methodist Church. He enjoys farming and journalism.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mfa.gov.bz/ministers-profile/|title=Minister's Profile|website=www.mfa.gov.bz|access-date=2020-08-20}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Lisa Shoman}} {{s-ttl|title=Foreign Minister of Belize|years=2008–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}} {{Current members of the Belize House of Representatives |state=collapsed}} {{Central America Foreign}}

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