The Cabinet and a few special friends have returned from 7 days and 6 nights on Caye Chapel and today the prime minister issued a 7 minute television statement to report to the nation on what happened at Chapel. No the statement doesn't say who paid for the week of lodging on one of Belize's most expensive private resorts, or who paid for international motivational speaker Tony Quinn to rally the troops, but it does say that it was productive, and, God bless 'em, tranquil.

Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"Given the tranquil environment devoid of everyday distractions, Cabinet members were fully engaged in sessions of honest and frank discussions on the issue of perceived differences, publicly aired disagreements, and the decision making process of Cabinet. The Ministers achieved consensus that the principle of Cabinet responsibility was the mechanism for dealing with policy and all issues, potentially giving rise to policy differences, will first be disclosed, debated, and resolved around the Cabinet table.

Participants all agreed that the retreat evolved into a resounding success and more clearly defined the way forward. It enabled Cabinet Ministers to openly discuss in an uninterrupted manner a range of policy issues and new ideas, critical to a brighter future for our country. The retreat also provided the forum for Ministers to rekindle a spirit of camaraderie and team work among themselves that will ignite greater unity and loyalty within the rank and file of the PUP.

We express gratitude to all who assisted in makignt his retreat happen. In particular we thank Mr. Tony Quinn whose motivational seminar facilitated our work."

The Prime Minister's message will air in its entirety after this newscast.