Of course, the country that Shyne Barrow condemns as a dictatorship is the same one that his father Dean Barrow first established diplomatic relations with in 1995 when he was Foreign Minister.
And, it's also the same country that welcomed the elder Barrow in 2018 when he needed urgent spinal surgery - culminating in a meeting with the same President Diaz-Canel.
But, Shyne Barrow is taking a totally different tack - and I asked him if he would consider breaking diplomatic relations with Cuba if he became Prime Minister:
Cherisse Halsall:
"So, Sir, would you put on the record now that despite the fact that your father was the foreign minister who negotiated this diplomatic tie and that Belize is celebrating 28 years with Cuba, that you, should you become Prime Minister would dissolve this relationship and sacrifice the medical personnel that it sends to Belize every year that is much needed?"
Shyne Barrow, Leader Of the Opposition
"What Prime Minister Barrow has done has absolutely nothing to do with me, he is to me the greatest Prime Minister ever but that does not prevent evolution it does not prevent deviation and independence, see in a democracy that is how it works. I am allowed to think for myself. I am allowed to formulate my policies and positions and if it reflects the majority people will vote for them. If it doesn't they will say no we want to go another direction. The Cuban people don't even have that so moving forward if I were Prime Minister, we would definitely look at the relationship. We would definitely continue to put on record urging the Cuban dictatorial regime to allow for democratic and free elections. I don't know if I would completely cut off all diplomatic ties because I believe that part of a relationship is being able to tell someone when they are doing something wrong and diplomacy is that exchange. So to not have any diplomatic ties, I don't believe I would go that far, however, we would find other like-minded bastions of democracy that has the resources to make up for whatever gaps would happen should in case the Cubans feel that they would withdraw whatever support they are giving financially and otherwise because of my strong pro-democratic stance. We are the United Democratic Party."
