Barrow’s rotten plums

Barrow has launched an election campaign on promises he has failed to deliver for over 3 years

Belize City, September 27, 2011

In a desperate attempt to tip the scale on his dismal and worsening rating, Prime Minister Dean Barrow launched what was obviously a political campaign for the upcoming Municipal Elections, and perhaps even general elections, on the occasion of this year’s Independence Day celebrations.

Having starved the nation of any development and economic growth over the last three years, which has weakened investor confidence and debilitated the business climate, Barrow wants to dupe Belizeans with a slew of pre-election promises. The list of promises, or in this case rotten plums, includes writing off $62.6 million in housing loans, street works, so-called lowered internet rates, and an imagined lowered electricity rates.

Barrow is offering nothing less than rotten plums! Since coming into office, there have been hundreds of Belizeans who have had their homes taken away and put on sale because of their inability to meet their debt obligations. This inability is the result of growing unemployment, skyrocketing cost of living, and high loan interest rates. Prime Minister Barrow has stood aside and refused to offer assistance to Belizeans for three long years, but now with beckoning elections, he seems to have all the right answers.

Our nation’s infrastructure has been crumbling before our very own eyes. Though they collect revenue and receive funding to the tune of millions of dollars annually, the UDP municipal bodies have failed to improve streets and drainage across the country.  The Barrow Administration has allowed the reckless and unaccountable management at all municipal bodies, while town and city residents live in the worse conditions. Now the Prime Minister will boast of a $10m infrastructure project in Belize City. What he has not said is that the funding is a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank which means neither municipal nor central government are in good financial standing to carry out the project. Instead they have had to depend on outside monies, which are evidence of our increased reliance on foreigners as well as the ballooning of our public debt.

Barrow’s promise to lower internet rates is one big joke.  The Government-owned Belize Telemedia Limited currently offers 256 kilobits at $100. Barrow has promised to offer 128 kilobits at $49. So, what is new? Nothing.  At $49 for 128k, it means 256k (double of 128k) will cost $98, which is only $2.00 cheaper than what it is today. Who does Barrow think he is fooling? Moreover, since taking over the telecommunications company, the Barrow Administration has not kept any of its promises of lowered phone rates, freeing Voice Over Internet Protocol or expanding services to the poor. BTL has been nothing but a piñata bag for Barrow’s family and UDP friends.

The Prime Minister’s hypocrisy didn’t even end there. His 2008 election campaign was anchored on “imagining the possibilities”, which has been the only thing the UDP has been good at – keeping Belizeans imagining! And while we have imagined for so long, with the reality being cold and cruel times, Barrow wants to stretch your imagination by promising that next year he would consider reducing electricity rates. When exactly? In April, which is just in time for the municipal elections.

Barrow has proven to all to be a sort of master of political games.  He has admitted it himself when he said that he campaigns in poetry but governs in prose, which means he believes he can promise it all during his campaigning, but never feels obligated to  keep  his commitment.

At this point, Barrow’s promises have all become rotten. Belizeans need to see beyond Barrow’s façade. Giving the UDP power for another three or five years means Barrow will promise anything to win, but will once again fail to deliver until, of course, that next election cycle comes around.  You can fool the people sometimes Mr. Barrow, but you can’t fool everyone all the time.

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