As area representatives, Said Musa and Dean Barrow are very successful; Musa has only been defeated twice in 30 plus years in Fort George, and in 24 years in Queen's Square Barrow has never been defeated. But as Party Leader and Prime Ministerial hopeful, Musa has never lost, and Barrow has never won. So on February 7th, both are facing down their own destinies. We asked them what they will do if they lose. Here's what they had to say.
Jules Vasquez,
The last time we spoke in 2003 before elections you were assured of a victory, or you assured yourself of a victory, and you said that if you didn't win you would resign. Will you make any such promise this time?
Dean Barrow, UDP Leader
"Well I don't know that it is a promise. I think it is a political imperative. If you lead a mass party to two successive general election defeat, man you have to go. It is the decent thing to do. But I think that in the current climate the question appears to be relevant because it ain't going to happen. The UDP is not going to lose. Thanks to the people of this country, it is clear that, as I said, we're headed for a resounding victory."
Jules Vasquez,
Sir how does it feel being nine days away from either everything or nothing in terms of being on the pinnacle of history or on the tip of the ash bin of history?
Rt. Hon. Said Musa, Prime Minister
"The last time we spoke you asked me how it felt to be an underdog. Remember and I told you I was very comfortable being an underdog. I am still very comfortable being the underdog because all the media and everybody else, especially the arrogant opposition is predicting that they have won already. What we see happening in Belize today is a massive shift, a tremendous blue tide is coming and the results will be seen on February the 7th, believe me."
Jules Vasquez,
Were you to lose, would you resign or would you think of stepping down?
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"I will cross that bridge when I come to it."
And apart from battling their own destinies, both leaders are also flirting with history: Musa would be the first successive three term Prime Minister in Belize and Barrow would be the first black Prime Minister.
