The Prime Minister also discussed the news that his former political adversary Said Musa has been committed to stand trial for theft in the Supreme Court. Yesterday, Musa complained that it was a political prosecution; today the PM said that’s just silly.
Hon. Dean Barrow,
“My reaction is that the justice process is in fact unfolding.”
Jules Vasquez,
Sir he characterizes it as a political prosecution, evidenced by the fact that you are a principal statement giver.
Hon. Dean Barrow,
“Well that’s silly. I am principal statement giver because he came to speak to me after this thing broke to explain his position and all I have done in my witness statement is to say what it is that he told me.”
Jules Vasquez,
He is implying that the Magistrate passed the buck because of the executive involvement in the case, the political nature of the prosecution.
Hon. Dean Barrow,
“But I think that’s nonsense. Either there is a case to go to the Supreme Court or there is not. As a lawyer it struck me from the start that there very really is a case to go to the Supreme Court. How do the jury to decide is another matter. I would have been extremely disappointed if the Magistrate had not so found. At this stage all the prosecution needs to do is to make a prima facie case, it has nothing to do with guilt or innocence.”
Because he signed a key statement it is expected that the Prime Minister will be a witness at the Musa trail which has been set for the next session of the Supreme Court in April. And that’s not all we heard about from the Prime Minister today. He, very reluctantly, discussed the social optics of his wedding this past weekend in Savanna, Georgia. Here’s what Adele Ramos of the Amandala asked him.
Adele Ramos,
“Can you address questions raised by some Belizeans as to why the Prime Minister of their country has gone to the US to get married?”
Hon. Dean Barrow,
“There are all sorts of reasons for that and I don’t think I need to get into those reasons. I mean no disrespect to anyone to say that that sort of decision was and remains a private decision. I don’t get married as Prime Minister, I get married as Dean Barrow an individual. So I apologize if there are those who don’t see it that way but there were good and sufficient reasons and I’ll leave it at that.”
What he didn’t say is that his new wife’s parents live in Savannah.
