Governing in the time when social media is in its full flower isn't easy. Father of the Nation George Price never had to face an independent electronic media, Manuel Esquivel faced an emerging independent media, and Said Musa faced an emboldened media; Dean Barrow faced that same media, and then ushered out on the swell of an emerging social media onslaught.
Well, the PUP were elected right in the middle of what can best be called the social media spring - when tens of thousands of Belizean are logged in and revved up about issues of public interest.
That makes for a real time blowback on controversial statements by the government - and it can age an administration quickly.
So how does John Briceno manage it? We asked him last week:
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Explain to me what's it like facing that constant scrutiny and the excoriation, the vituperations of all these comments on social media always coming against the government. How do you manage this and do you just disregard it as noise?"
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I don't want to sound disrespectful or arrogant because it seems now that anything I say I'm being arrogant. Let me give you a quick story, coming to 2006 to 2008 they has this UDP radio station in Orange Walk and every day they use to say the most outrageous things about me and one day somebody ask me wouldn't you get upset, I said no. He said but why not? I say because I don't listen to them. We cannot govern by social media. We have to do what is right. As long as we are doing what is right, we will get it right at the right time. Let's put it that way - so that it only takes 10 persons to be on social media and try to blow up everything. It keeps you on your toes to make sure that whenever you make a decision you try as best as you possibly can to do the right decision and lastly, it keeps you humble."
