The Barrow administration’s new Cabinet was sworn in today in Belmopan. Of the 20 Ministers and Ministers of State, 17 of them are first timers and today in their sharply starched shirts and their bright red ties, they looked the part. Which hardly mattered to an adoring crowd of supporters waiting for them in Belmopan.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
UDP supporters and wellwishers flocked to Belize House in Belmopan by the hundreds today – from all over the country and lined up on ring road to get into the compound where they would greet the new Ministers and Ministers of State.
Inside the reception area, the new members looked slightly nervous while the ones who had been there before joked around as they waited in room crowded with family members and new CEOs for the ceremony to start. In fact it got so crowded that it forced the Sir Colville to comment.
Sir Colville Young, Governor General
“Even though it will not be a priority of the new government, obviously they will need to consider extending the size of this room.”
But today the priority was taking the oath of office – which all 15 did collectively.
Oath: ‘Do swear that I will bear truth and allegiance to Belize. I will uphold the constitution and the law and I will conscientiously and to the best of ability discharge my duties as a Minister and do right to all manner of people...so help me God.’
And then they signed individually, in guayaberas, shirts and ties and one suit. The group includes the first Mennonite, the first Rasta man, and a mix of men
and races but their leader says, all with one mission.
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
“Our part in this victory is not to be discounted, is secondary to the fact of the great Belizean awakening that has taken place, aided in no small measure by the media of this country, aided in no small measure by the social activists, the social partners – the trade union movement, the NGOs. And I think we must continue to record our acknowledgement of the fact that all power comes from the people. I say this in order for us to remind ourselves that we must be humble throughout this entire tenure that the Belizean people have seen it fit to grant us and we must recognize that it is our first duty
to serve and to serve on the basis of complete openness, to serve on the basis of complete transparency, and to serve on the basis of complete honesty.”
And with that feeling of Camelot still in the air, as they walked into the waiting crowd that had lined the driveway, these leaders were still all smiles and happy hugs. As they worked their way down the line, they had best remember this euphoria and genuine goodwill because regardless of how well this term of office goes, expectations are very high, and we’ll bet that it will never be this sweet again – this is probably as good as it gets.
After today’s swearing in, the 16 members of Cabinet held their first meeting.
