UDP LEADER DEAN BARROW SPEAKS ON NATIONAL ISSUES AS WE HEAD INTO ELECTIONS THIS THURSDAY

February 04, 2008

Leader of the United Democratic Party Dean Barrow today spoke on a number of national issues as we head into elections this Thursday.    Barrow was asked about the relationship Belize has with its Caribbean neighbors.   Barrow said Belize has benefited a lot diplomatically from CARICOM however we need to gain more when it comes to economic benefits agreed on by the Caribbean nations.  He said this may be caused by the low human resources that Belize invests.  He went on to say that he does not support the Caribbean Court of Justice.

Hon. Dean Barrow,Leader of the United Democratic Party:

“Some little reservations about the way certainly the Chief Justice is appointed basically by the heads of government of the region and the possibility for politics to play a role is there and I do think that the Privy Council has served us well in terms of you’re getting blind justice from the Privy Council. The wrap is now that perhaps the justice is too blind and I think there has been this confusions that the Privy Council, because it is so much against the death penalty has not been fair to our societies and the Caribbean Court of Justice would be a kind of  hanging court and I don’t think that’s the reason to subscribe to a regional court of Justice and the court itself has said that it’s not a great has said no, no it’s not that we have been set up to be any kind of a hanging court but the issues are complex and we had not supported the government when it needed our vote to sign on to the Caribbean Court of justice but I can’t tell you that we have shut the door. It is something that we have to visit.”

On the issue of crime, Barrow believes that a former program known as the Conscious Youth Development Program, C-Y-D-P, should be revived as this program targeted the issues affecting crime.  Barrow also said that a U-D-P government will promote the recruitment of more police men and reform the judicial system.  He added that there are certain steps his government intends to follow once elected to ensure transparency within his administration.

Hon. Dean Barrow,Leader of the United Democratic Party:

“This is an age of technology. There is a government website. Post everything on the website, post government finances, post government contracts, put it out there. When the auditor general accounts for something, don’t just rely on the hard copy. You can do this sort of thing easily and if you’re serious about from and transparency and openness, you have to do it. One of the things was penalties and public officers not doing what they are suppose to do in terms of timely reports. Often times, it is not the fault of the public officers, and even if you say, well there will be penalties, but if it’s shown then I think you send the wrong signal if we start talking in that fashion. Penalties for politicians who violate the finance and other documents is a different thing and that I am committed to. Put everything up there and out there for the people of this country to see. You’re not doing anything wrong, absolutely nothing to hide.”

He assured that his government will not victimize public officers.  Barrow went on to talk about the election fever and asked for both party supporters and politicians from all political parties to refrain from violence. 

Hon. Dean Barrow,Leader of the United Democratic Party:

“We will hope that this kind of provocation can stop and I speak as well in terms of making an appeal to my own side. I think know that we have been guilty of that sort of thing, but if we have and if anybody is contemplating, provoking the other side, please, there is absolutely no necessity for that. I my view, the people of this country know exactly what they’re going to do on the election date. The mood as I said is so overwhelming in our favor. We must do nothing to prejudice that, we must do nothing to turn anybody off and we must do nothing as responsible politicians to in any way fracture the peace and harmony that we are accustomed to enjoy in this country.”

Barrow also spoke about working in a good relation with the opposition successful candidates.  He also said that his Cabinet will not exceed sixteen members.  He pointed out that candidates are not running for Ministers but for representatives of the people.  If the U-D-P does not win as they expect, Barrow says there should not be any violence on the part of the U-D-P.

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