And in parliamentary news of a less disruptive nature...
Tonight, Leader of the opposition and Area Rep for Mesopotamia Shyne Barrow is back in Belize having returned from his first diplomatic trip to the United States of America.
And while Shyne's exploits abroad have earned mostly favourable reviews, and, indeed, it's hard to ignore the inroads that the UDP's current Leader of the Opposition was able to make in both the political and entertainment arenas.
But, of course, that doesn't mean he earned a victory lap in his first press conference after returning. This morning he sat down with all of the city's media houses at this constituency office on King Street to discuss the triumphs and takeaways from his trip stateside.
Shyne is Back, back in Belize, and after his whirlwind U.S. tour he was back in front of the Belizean cameras telling the press about the purpose behind what could have looked like quite a glamorous trip.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of The Opposition
"When people talk about me I have been clear that it's about Belize, all the media houses in the U.S. asked me how I feel to be back, and for me it's not about Shyne being back. It was about the Leader of the Opposition, the member of parliament for Mesopotamia being in the United States to present Belize and all the interests of Belize and the Belizean people and that was thrilling to say the least."
Thrilling for him and perhaps thrilling for the youth of Belize to see a man who on a regular day might drive past Kick down fence Kicking it with Diddy and Jay-Z.
Cherisse Halsall:
"Sir, many would say that your trip is historic in that it's built more goodwill for Belize than any trip since Independence, but when I put that to Minister Mahler yesterday, his response was to say that he could care less about Jay-Z or Fat Joe how to you respond to that criticism."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of The Opposition
"I spoke to Minister Mahler while he was away and you know I think his comments were unfortunate. I think he is a young new minister and so you know, I will talk to him, I'm schedule to have a meeting with him and talk to him and urge him and convince him to take a different approach because all tourists should be welcome to our beautiful Jewel and certainly billionaire, Grammy award winning American icons, the ministry of tourism should be sending them an invitation to say you and Beyonce and whoever else come to visit our country. I did not make any promises that anybody visit Belize, but just to share the space with these American icons does wonders for Belize, because every opportunity I have gotten, walking the red carpet at Jay Z's event, I have mentioned Belize. Jay Z doesn't even have a social media account, but all of his corporation Rock Nation - all of his executives have posted the picture of him and I as the best moment of the night."
But he wasn't just rubbing shoulders with HIP HOP A listers, Shyne also sat with statesmen and women.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of The Opposition
"Congressman Meeks and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, and congresswoman Yvette Clark are the equivalent in politics to a Jay-Z and to a Diddy and to a Fat Joe, and Beyonce or a Mary J. Bridge or whatever and it is interesting Congressman Hakeem Jeffreies is the chairman of the democratic caucus for the house of representatives, the entire caucus, not the black caucus, the entire, all democrats in the house of representatives, he is the chair."
But after toasting with the best of them, the Leader of the Opposition may have returned to UDP colleagues who despite his foreign accolades, are unwilling to follow him.
Cherisse Halsall:
"This press conference today is not being held at the UDP headquarters. Is that because there is still such a division and if so how do you...?"
Shyne Barrow, Leader of The Opposition
"I will not discuss any party politics. Every time you guys interview me you interview me right here in my office in Mesopotamia. If it were not for the people in Mesopotamia, I would not be in the house of representatives, so first and foremost are the people of the Mesopotamia constituency, so I would rather be nowhere than in my office in Mesopotamia."
"I have tremendous support in my party, so that is not a question, again I have not just briefed the parliamentary caucus and the shadow cabinet, but I briefed the 31 representatives of the party, the constituency leaders, I have a very strong relationship with the constituency leaders, but this is not about me leveraging anything for me. This is about me leveraging this opportunity on behalf of Belize. I am not using this as an opportunity for me. I am using this as an opportunity for Belize, so these relationships that I established with the cooperation with the prime minister of the minister of tourism, of the minister of foreign affairs - we should all work together to leverage these relationships where cooperation is needed, but I will follow through with my friends, with my counterparts on their commitments."
And then, we came to it the question about the Leader of the Opposition's diplomatic passport and diplomatic visa.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of The Opposition
"But I got my diplomatic visa from the Ministry of foreign affairs."
Reporter:
"No, no, no but then the visa is a separate thing to actually travel."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of The Opposition
"Ma'am, it doesn't work like that when you do things you have to have a plan you have to have an itinerary as an official. I was not going on a tourist vacation, so you take things in stages. I knew that I was working on my relationships to make an official visit, but I was not going to put the carriage before the horse, but I started the chain of events to make sure I got my diplomatic passport in May and that was through the ministry of foreign affairs and when I was ready with all of my confirmed meetings in the United States, because the people that I met with, you can't just show up to their office. Oh I am the leader of the opposition, I want to meet you. That doesn't work like that. Those things need to be planned and in advance of your arrival. In fact, congressman Meeks and Congresswoman Ivette Clarke - they were voting on the John Lewis bill, voting rights bill, while they met with me."
Reporter:
"Without the Leader of the opposition role or post do you still get to have a diplomatic passport as a member of parliament?"
Shyne Barrow, Leader of The Opposition
"I got my diplomatic passport of May 6th."
Reporter
"That's not the question. If the leader of the opposition title is removed, you still get to have that diplomatic passport as a member of parliament, correct?"
Shyne Barrow, Leader of The Opposition
"Yes ma'am, but I'm trying to tell you that I am not just telling you that, that I was elected leader of the opposition on June 23rd and I got my diplomatic passport on May 6th, so one thing has nothing to do with the other."
And whether or not Shyne stepped on Faber for a diplomatic passport one thing's for sure they remain sworn enemies.
Cherisse Halsall:
"Sir we know your set to have a debriefing with Minister Mahler but are you set to have something similar with Patrick Faber?"
Shyne Barrow, Leader of The Opposition
"Again, we are not going to discuss any party politics, but I will have a briefing with the parliamentary caucus tonight at 7pm and the member from Collet is a member of the parliamentary caucus."
We also asked Shyne if the next election would see Fat Joe nailing up campaign posters around Mesopotamia but - in that one instance - he shrugged off his famous friends and said - he's the one who has to do the groundwork.
And if you want to see Shyne truly grilled - one on one - tune in to Channel 7 tomorrow night when he will be Jules Vasquez's first guest on season 2 of Uncut.
