When you think about it, it is only a very powerful Southside Belize City politician, or one who believes in the power of money, who would dare to take sides openly with Lord Michael Ashcroft against the Southside Kremandala institution. That is what Hon. Mesopotamia area representative, Michael Finnegan, did last week in the GUARDIAN and REPORTER newspapers.
Mr. Finnegan crafted his support for Lord Michael in the form of personal attacks against the Amandala publisher, who is also the chairman of KREM Radio. But just hours before the GUARDIAN hit the streets with Mr. Finnegan’s attack last Thursday morning, the same Finnegan went out of his way on his Wednesday night radio/television show to praise the KREM Radio WUB morning show and host Mose Hyde.
The specific target of Lord Ashcroft’s ongoing assault is the same KREM Radio on which Mose Hyde broadcasts every weekday morning. KREM Radio is a Belizean institution on the Southside of Belize City which has been creating jobs for Belizeans since 1989. If we followed logic, then one would expect a Southside area representative to support the Southside institution where Mose Hyde has worked since November of 1989.
There is nothing wrong with Mr. Finnegan seeking to identify and preserve campaign financing for himself and his United Democratic Party. The PUP’s Pickstock area representative, Hon. Godfrey Smith, has been honest in his statements of affinity for big business. Hon. Godfrey does not pretend to be “roots” or “street.” Everybody knows Godfrey is an Ashcroft supporter. But we need to look at Mr. Finnegan’s policies more closely.
There are some people who consider Mr. Finnegan a buffoon. But we do not make such a mistake at this newspaper. We are always very careful to give him his respect, even though that respect is not reciprocal. The purpose of the editorial is to agitate for his UDP people to ask Mr. Finnegan just what exactly it is he is proposing. Is he saying that Southside people should join him in supporting Ashcroft against Kremandala?
Does Kremandala run BTL and charge the people of Belize exorbitant rates? Does Kremandala defy the rulings of the Supreme Court? Is Kremandala involved in gouging the taxpayers of Belize $33 million in an usurious transaction? The answer to all these questions is no. Belizeans know who is doing what in their country.
We expected Mr. Finnegan to do what he did in last weekend’s newspaper. Still, this is a blow to us in our battle with Ashcroft, because Mr. Finnegan represents people in the same Southside for which we struggle. On the other hand, technically speaking, Market Square is a part of Southside. So Finnegan can argue that he is only choosing one Southside entity, the one with the money, over the other. Kremandala is merely unfortunate. Such is life.