And Barrow's rant about Montejo continued when he pointed out that the senator was just in Melchor, Guatemala with Jorge Espat. We've reported that Espat met with the Melchor residents and gave school bags to their children. Espat explained he met with them because they are registered voters in Belize - despite the constitution saying that no person who originates from a country that does not recognize Belize's independence and sovereignty can be granted Belizean nationality.
But what's done is done, however, the PUP has criticized former UDP area rep, Erwin Contreras, for bringing in Melchor voters to participate in Belize's elections. So while Barrow criticized Espat for meeting with the Guatemalans, wasn't the UDP guilty of doing the same?
Here's what he said about the entire situation:
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Collet Montejo is not just a PUP Senator, but who is in Guatemala with Jorge Espat giving out school bags to alleged Belizeans who are supposed to be registered in his constituency, but according to the people's representation act, you can't be registered in a constituency if you don't even live in Belize, not if you live in the constituency, because you have a lot of people who might register in a constituency but they end up move and they never transferred. These people don't even live in Belize."
"If you show me a video or a picture of Erwin Contreras blatantly in Guatemala giving out school bags with the head of the redistricting or the senior member of the redistricting task force, I don't think you could do that and again Briceno promised to be better. That is the entire issue that Belizeans have. The UDP may not have been perfect, but we were far better than this administration could ever imagine itself to be. Miracles do happen, but this has been a nightmare and I don't see it being reverse at anytime. So, again the senior member of the redistricting task force PUP senator in Guatemala with the member for Cayp West who is not even registered in Cayo West, he is not even registered at all. It just shows a lack of respect and a lack of appreciation for the Belizean people, but then the Belizean people have to demand better."
