Monday, 23rd Apr. 2007
The Editor AMANDALA
Dear Sir,
No, no, no!!! Not Dean. Is the Leader of the Opposition UDP the only trustworthy one in the non-government camp to see the UHS-Belize Bank contract? The midday news today said that the government has agreed to let the Hon. Dean Barrow, Leader of the Opposition, see the highly controversial secret contract between UHS and the Belize Bank, for which the government of Belize is supposed to have given a sovereign guarantee.
If that is the route you all want to take, then let’s do it right. Mr. Barrow represents the Queen’s Loyal Opposition. Well, how about Mr. Godwin Hulse to represent Civil Society and other non-partisan Belizeans to see this contract and report to us? We will have to pay for the loan too, just like the PUP and UDP supporters. If the Opposition trusts Mr. Barrow alone to see the contract, that’s fine for them; but not for us. Give us Godwin; give us Denzil; how about Lois? There are so many other Belizean professionals of integrity that we TRUST. Why Dean?
Why not Dean. With due respect to the Leader of the Opposition, and possible future Prime Minister of Belize, I am not comforted by the announcement. It sounds like a conflict of interest to me. This contract is between Michael Aschroft’s Belize Bank and the Universal Health Services. Dean is the Leader of the Opposition, but his law firm, Barrow and Williams, is also the lawyer for the Belize Bank. You can’t serve two masters, Mr. Barrow; at least not while you’re representing me. If it’s alright with the UDP supporters, it’s not alright with me.
In fact, to my mind, the greatest threat to the nation of Belize, as evidenced by the events of the past fifteen years, has been the undue influence and control expressed by Lord Michael Ashcroft upon the government of Belize, so that his peers in England can even refer to my beloved country, Belize, as his personal “fiefdom.” I consider that a gross insult to every Belizean, to be remedied, not further promulgated. No, it may be alright with my UDP brothers and sisters, but it is not alright with me.
To my UDP friends, my sincere apologies, but, until your leader relinquishes his brief for Lord Michael Aschroft’s Belize Bank, I cannot help but consider him a part of the problem, not the solution to our problem in Belize.
Peace and love,
Eternal glory,
Baba Edgar X Richardson
Charles X Hyde