We spoke to the Prime Minister at the ceremony for the Cotton Tree Water System. It was staged in the Cayo South division as a pre-convention boost for incumbent Ramon Witz who is facing a challenge.
And the PM was right there to boost him up. On the podium h referred to Witz as Ramon, el Campeon and he told us why:….
Jules Vasquez
"I heard to him as "Ramon the Champion". Is it your wish that he wins the convention?"
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize
"Well it is certainly not my wish that he should lose."
Hon. Ramon Witz, Cayo South Representative
"It goes a long way Jules but his testimony about his trust and confidence that the Prime Minister has in his area representative here in Cayo South, so it's just a matter of the people seeing that Ramon Witz has been working, continues to work in their best interest to make their life as best as possible comfortable."
Jules Vasquez
"Now you have some big guns going against you in the convention, a part for the individual who is challenging you. I am told that John Saldivar is with him, I know that, I am told that Boots Martinez also supports him so you have some ministerial opposition. Is that an area of concern for you?"
Hon. Ramon Witz, Cayo South Representative
"The bosses in Cayo South are the people. They are the ones who will decide. It's not a minister of government; it is the people who will decide."
Jules Vasquez
"Are you concern that the goings on of this convention will leave the area and the party divided?"
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize
"There is always going to be a degree of healing that needs to take place after any convention. It's the price we pay for democracy and certainly I much prefer to have to deal with the fallout from that than to deal with the fall out that occurs when you railroad a convention - when you handpick somebody and you in fact deprive others from exercising their democratic right to challenge, so indeed there will be some element of bitterness to overcome after the convention but that is one of the reasons why we are doing these conventions so early."
What is sure to be a fiercely contested convention is set for Sunday…
