As we told you on Monday night, the Leader of the Opposition Shyne Barrow is now a Doctor - after receiving an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Liberia.
He's back in Belize now - and we caught up with him heading off to San Pedro on a campaign swing. We asked him about the trip to the motherland and challenged him on the Doctor that, for some, will now precede his name:
Hon. Moses "Shyne" Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"It was real, magical, divine, very grateful to have the opportunity to visit Africa and Liberia. Thank you to president and vice president and the board of trustees at the University of Liberia for inviting me to be the commencement speaker and for honouring me with a doctorate."
Jules Vasquez
"Now I know you are a man who likes titles. You're arrogated some onto yourself much to our criticism, would you now be calling yourself Dr. Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the House of Representatives?"
Hon. Moses "Shyne" Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"You saw my speech and in my speech, I said that a degree is not for a point of boasting or bragging, but it really is a key to unlock the opportunities, not just for one self, but for service. I am big on service. So these degrees, whether it is a PhD or a LhD, merely instruments for the greater good in my view. Certainly, honouring my life's work as a musician, a writer, a publisher, entrepreneur, a legislator - I am grateful for that. It is not something as much as you would like to say "you no gat one" and as much as people might like criticize, not everybody gets it. I know people were running down the prime minister, he is the prime minister. He has been a legislator for 30 years. It is a recognition your contributions to humanity on a large scale and you can't debate that. It's been 23 years I've been a professional, I've been a writer, I've been a publisher. Last 8 years I've been working in the political forum paying my dues in Mesopotamia. People have seen that from all across the world."
Jules Vasquez
"We can argue about the merits of it, because it could be argued you haven't written a rap song that's relevant in almost 15 years."
Hon. Moses "Shyne" Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Not that long. I've retired. But I have written hot rap songs. That is not the point, its not for you to decide, you are not the board of trustees of Jules Vasquez university."
Jules Vasquez
"I'm saying you got it because you are a celebrity."
Hon. Moses "Shyne" Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"The thing is you make it seem as it's so easy to be who I am, because if it was then, you'd be doing it and everybody else would be doing it and its not to take away from everyone else, but don't take away from me man, Lord. When Manuel Esquivel got it, nobody didn't quarrel that he uses Dr. Esquivel."
Jules Vasquez
"He got a bachelors at that same university."
Hon. Moses "Shyne" Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"It doesn't matter. When Rene Villanueva...."
Jules Vasquez
"I have criticized him about it."
Hon. Moses "Shyne" Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"But you criticize everybody for everything. Anyway."
