Email

Print

That's coming, but first to the UDP Party Leader, Prime Minister Dean Barrow. He's bucking political trends - and this morning when we met him - he was still excited over the sweeping victory his party had secured at the polls. But, he was careful not to be triumphalist:..

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Recognizing that the temptation to become complacent. The temptation to sound cocky, must be resisted at all cost. That's number one. Also though, cautious because the burden of expectations is now correspondingly higher, given of the victory, both, in terms of the numbers of municipalities won and the individual margins in the particular municipality. So, extremely pleased. Extremely satisfied, but very conscious of the fact that there is still a tremendous job of work to be done."

Jules Vasquez
"Are you tempted to call a snap general election?"

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"No. For a couple of reasons and I am glad you ask the question, because, already I am hearing that fast booked, is saying that though general elections in 3 months - ain't going to happen. For two reason: 1). There is a plan of action on government's part that has been hatched well before the municipal elections and time is needed to implement that plan of action. 2). People, I believe, voted for us so overwhelmingly, because they are encouraged by what is happening with respect to physical transformation. With the help of central government, the new municipal councils in particular, must be seen to be performing. There is no way we can give the impression that it's all about winning the next election and let's try to hit the PUP when they are down. No. We have come as far as we have based on the deliverables that we have been able to point to. And I am absolutely positive that we have to continue to proceed in that fashion, so sufficient time must elapse in order to allow us to be able to point to new or continuing achievements, especially as I said where Dangriga, where Punta Gorda are concerned and in the area such as Belmopan, where I believe for the first time, we actually succeeded in the peripheral area. So, no chance at all of an election this year."

Jules Vasquez
"Now, are you intend on also staying in government long enough, to spend all that you can and the Petrocaribe fund? We know it's close to 200 million."

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"That's also another consideration isn't it? In deed we've got to be able to program the funds and in terms of capacity, there is just no way we can spend all that money in the next few months."

Jules Vasquez
"Many observers were stunned at the out turn for the PUP, having lose ground, it actually defies, it confronts all expectations, because we know the pendulum of political fortune or misfortune swings ever only in one direction and now it seems to be swinging in the wrong direction. Swinging in favor of the incumbent, when it always swings against the incumbent. Might it not be apace to, not that your government is so great, but that the PUP is so poor?"

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Well, I think it has to be combination of both. I will not yield to any suggestion that this is not a positive win for the United Democratic Party, but indeed the Opposition has its troubles. I think it would be most ungracious of me to say anything personal against the leadership of the PUP. Again, I don't think people will like that very much. I don't think it's the thing to do, so I content myself with saying that obviously they have to do some soul searching and perhaps some house cleaning."

Jules Vasquez
"Is there a need for a strong opposition and perhaps a stronger opposition leader?"

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Well, I will say this. During the period that the UDP spent in the political wilderness, after every election defeat when I was the leader, I genuinely offered my resignation to my party. I was more than prepared to go."

Jules Vasquez
"You think he should offer his resignation?"

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"That's a matter for him. As I said, I am not going to give anyone the impression that I am prepared to kick a man when he is down. In terms of what the party will do, I expect that it's very much alive issue."

Jules Vasquez
"We'd like to quote Mr. Finnegan, victory over the defenseless. In this case it applies, because the PUP were completely broke and the UDP as you like to boast, have no shortage of cash."

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"But Jules, it's something that I've said to you before. How does that help them? If you can't raise money, it must be that it is because the people who we all turned to for funding assistance, don't believe in you. Nobody will give you money if they don't think you are credible. So, indeed as a party, we had more money that they did. But expect they can try to even out things on that square - they and we can expect more of the same."

Jules Vasquez
"However, there is that known unknown, which is Mr. Ashcroft and all indications are that he has said, he is interested in the general election and was not interested in the municipal election and that is an X factor. How does that all work for the UDP...?"

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"He said as I saw it reported, that he will contribute in terms of the general elections and he sure as hell ain't going to contribute to us and we would have to say, if he were to think of it, which he will not. Thank you, but no thank you. So, that's going to make a considerable difference. And I've said to you before when we earlier discussed this issue that in effect that what it is, we have to take that well onboard. We have to see how it is that we can meet that particular challenge. It cannot be by way of upping our own spending, because after a while that becomes, I can't say counterproductive, that just becomes impossible. We can't even begin to dream of thinking we could ever match a billionaire. But, if we can, again, raised enough funds to be well resourced and we do have enough money to be competitive at least at the party level, I still think that our chances of getting a third term would be very good."

Jules Vasquez
"Sir, you have conceded the government is not universally liked or loved and some might go even further to say that your government is widely disliked, so would that being the case, might the government not be in a sort of fooling feeling?"

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Quite frankly, I don't accept at all that we are widely disliked. Not at all. Even you if say that there is an element of calculation about yesterday's results, even if you feel well people figure the UDP has two more years, why not elect municipal councils that can get something out of central government - that can't alone can't explain the size of the victory. I am saying when you go to the individual municipalities, we won by some huge numbers. So, I believe that even though there are those that can point to all sorts of faults on the part of this government, overall, the country has come to accept that the UDP is doing a job of work. I do not at all fool myself into thinking that there is any room for complacency. I've said to you, there is no way I will call elections this year. If I was a victim of what may, as you put it, be a fooling feeling, I would call the elections in the 3 months - not going to do it. I am not going to do it, because I think that would be a serious miscalculation. I think right away, people would feel - you are trying to kick the opposition when its down - all you are concern about is to win a third term - it's all about power. No."

And so since he says he won't call a snap election this year, Prime Minister Barrow's cabinet ministers have to be on their very best behavior - because all the hard won political gains could be lost to a single corruption scandal. He told us that it's become a mantra of his to tell his ministers to stay out of trouble:..

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"We have to continue to show that we can keep ourselves in line or that I can keep ministers in line. You notice that for months now, apart from the little sort of everyday difficulties, there is no minister who is getting into any kind of reputational trouble. We need as we proceed to make people believe as in that regard, that UDP ministers will do their work and keep their heads down. In terms of resolving, lead me not into temptation."

Jules Vasquez
"It becomes harder for you to convince them to do that, after the kind of election term you have."

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Well, I see it the other way around. Gentlemen, there is still the big prize, this will mean nothing if we can't secure a third term and one of the reasons we've done so well in the municipals is precisely because you have been keeping your head down. I am telling you that every cabinet meeting - that's the mantra. That's the gospel that I preach."

Later on Prime Minister Barrow tells us what he knows about the secret Briceno recording, and we'll tell you what we know about it.