And in our mid-meeting interview with Barrow, the media asked him his thoughts on the Civil Assets Recovery Bill. This bill intends to combat corruption by allowing the FIU to examine persons in authority when suspicions arise concerning their unexplained wealth or possession of assets. On Friday, Barrow says he hopes the bill is retroactive.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"No politician should come into politics to become wealthy. You come into politics to advocate on behalf of the people that elected you, to implement policies and to serve, it should be all about public administration, it certainly should not be about wealth so I have absolutely no difficulty with this bill, I hope that it is retroactive, I hope that we can look - since the PUP always likes to look backwards, I hope we can go beyond 13 years so that it can be a bipartisan bill and it's not a political bill that seeks to go after politicians in the opposition but all politicians that cannot explain their source of wealth and assets that they have amassed since becoming elected members of the house."
"It is a fair criticism that maybe past UDP administrations and PUP administrations, you see it's two extremes, again, not my position, but I've been faced with the criticism that oh well, UDP doesn't pass the law, but PUP pass the law, but the law can't do you anything. So you're absolutely right, what we need to look at is enforcement."
That bill goes to committee next Monday for public input.
