An unhealthy fixation…

By: Mike Rudon Jr.

I’ve been told that I have an unhealthy fixation on Mr. Barrow and the thought was enough to give me a real ‘ugh’ moment. I mean, it’s true that I harbor a very healthy dislike for the fellow whom I’ve never exchanged more than two words with, by the way. I dislike his arrogance which is so patently manifested in everything he does. I dislike his ‘fakeness’ – his practiced gestures and rehearsed poses and dramatic pauses whenever in the public forum. I dislike his nonchalance and disregard for the reality of life on the streets; I dislike his penchant for belittling persons he feels are below his social and intellectual class. I absolutely cannot stand his love for huge words and lofty expressions which look absolutely stunning on paper but mean nothing out here. I resent the bombastic Barrow who does whatever the hell he wants and doesn’t give a damn about anyone else. I am offended by this man’s lies, followed shortly after by periods of selective amnesia and/or condescension when his lies are queried. I loathe the supercilious leader whose transparent nepotism and ‘special interest love’ has translated into wealth and bounty for a few while the majority starve.

Should I go on, because I can? I haven’t even really touched on his failings as the leader of the nation yet. Hell, maybe I do have an unhealthy fixation. But anyway, I was in a discussion this weekend about love and bonds which cannot be broken and for some strange reason Dean and Lois entered the conversation (how’s that for an unhealthy fixation?). My friend on the barstool next to me remarked that he had never met Lois, but from all the hype he had expected her to be someone of superior intellect and moral persuasion, a paragon of legal virtue and a warrior for the rights of the common man and woman (well Dean said so, didn’t he). So my friend says, in between sips, that he managed to catch Lois in action in the past month or so and he was shocked by how far removed perception was from the reality. She came across as a little demented, said my friend, a little shell-shocked, somewhat confused and very arrogant.

Ah my friend, you are right, said I. In fact, I myself had held a high opinion of the lady based purely on the hype, and was sadly disillusioned. Engrossed in thoughts of hype, perception and reality, perhaps it should come as no surprise to readers that my thoughts turned to our leader, Dean Oliver. That gentleman is also, I believe, a victim of the hype. Or more accurately, I should say that we Belizeans are victims of his hype. Spellbound by the halo around his head and the golden aura encircling this near deity, we expected a giant among men, a leader without equal, a black bald-headed Moses to part the red seas and lead his followers to the promised land and so on and so forth…! Damn those UDP spin-masters were good. But yeah, so instead of all that, we got Dean…just Dean! We sure lost out in that bargain.

We got Dean, who campaigned on an anti-corruption platform and vowed to smite down the wrongdoers with his rod of correction (enter snicker or chuckle or smirk here). Instead, Dean has presided over the most corrupt administration in our nation’s political history. The would-be political giant campaigned on a platform to lower the cost of living NO MATTA WHAT. Instead, the little man we ended up with has led us into an economic recession. The cost of everything has gone up. Fuel went down for a couple weeks before shooting straight up. Dean just conveniently forgot his promise to keep fuel to $7 even if he had to lower government’s take. Before elections we were promised a hero who would work tirelessly to better the lives of ALL Belizeans. Instead we got a negligent fool who has worked tirelessly to enrich members of his family and ensure that they eat fillet mignon and prime ribs every day while the rest of us eat condensed milk and pack bread. Hell, who can even afford condensed milk these days? Almost half of the nation lies below the poverty line, but you won’t find Mr. Barrow’s family members in that category…oh no!

So we wanted a giant and we got a giant ego with a little man attached. Mistakes do happen, I told my friend as we ended the maudlin conversation and slid limply off our barstools. But our Belizean people do not forget and they will not forgive the transgressions of the little man with the big head and bigger ego. We will not forget…

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