He's written a biography of Dean Barrow - and while he isn't about to call it definitive - he says it fills an important space as now Belize's fourth Prime Minister life story has been committed to paper. Here's more from the launch today:

He was Prime Minister for 13 years, an undefeated member of parliament for 36 years, and party leader for 22 years. All these are reasons why Dean Barrow is one of the most compelling and iconic politicians of our time.

87 year old author Larry Vernon saw it as an important complement to the body of work on politicians.

Larry Vernon, Author
"Since the lives and achievements of three prime ministers, George Price, Manuel Esquivel, and Said Musa have been recorded in biographical sketches over the years. I thought that it'd be only fitting that a biography of the fourth prime minister be written. The fourth prime minister, of course, is Dean Barrow, and I'm happy to have him join the biographical of the previous prime ministers."

"My aim in this biography, therefore, which is an unbiased assessment of his life and times, is intended to complement literary outputs of what previous prime ministers."

For Vernon who has published 14 books - this one took two years to research and write but bore some personal satisfaction as well:

Dylan Vernon, Author's son
"When Larry Vernon left the Leo Bradley Library service for the final time in 2021, as I said, he didn't lamp up. He got to work, and he wrote the Dean Barrow story. No one asked him to do it. It wasn't commissioned. He did it, in large part because of his love, his lifelong love, for sharing information. And maybe, just maybe, because he likes Dean Barrow for his use of good words, big words."

Lawrence Vernon, Author - "The Dean Barrow Story"
"Because as I said, I wanted to get everything that was written about Dean Barrow from the newspapers, in the archives, and press releases and articles, and of course from my interview with him."

Reporter
"What was his reaction when you approached him to tell him of your project?"

Lawrence Vernon, Author - "The Dean Barrow Story"
"Well, he, ehm, he, he agreed right away. Although as I said, he didn't commission it, right? I volunteered to do it and he was happy to have his achievements, especially as Prime Minister, revealed."

"It was a pleasure to do his biography especially because as I said, apart from the fact that it is a biography to complement other biographies of Prime Ministers, I personally admire the man's character."

The book sells for fifty dollars and is published by the Angelus Press.