Andre Perez's sext scandal has been dominating headlines, and today the Leader of the Opposition is demanding a harsher punishment than just a leave of absence. Shyne Barrow explained that he believes that it is hypocritical that the UDP representatives are berated for allegations of domestic violence, while he thinks Perez's is getting off the hook. He added as well that the members of parliament should treat Perez in the same light that he was treated when he called the Speaker of the House a "waste of time" in an email.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"There is so much wrong that the PUP is doing, that this is not something that I would've cared to be an issue. We have crime, we have corruption, we have the cartels taking over the north, uh, cost of living, healthcare facilities, et cetera. However, this is not what some people are trying to make it seem to be, downplaying the severity of the accusations. We have to be a fair society. When the UDPs are accused of anything having to do with a woman, it is guilty until proven innocent. To this day, people still label me for an accusation that was withdrawn within 24, and a statement was not rescinded, that retracted the allegations was never rescinded. Uh, and yet I have been criticized for it, and it has been a matter of fact, as we watched the Andre Perez saga unfold, there was a reluctance to even name the minister in the first instance. And there has been an attempt by some to make this, uh, a personal affair, um, two lovers. I saw you, saw the statement by Ms. Wendy Auxillou that she rescinded, uh, because she was not ready to release it officially, but it was a statement nonetheless, that totally rejects the minister's proclamation that this was consensual."
"I believe that the outrage should be overwhelming from everyone from the Belize Network of NGOs from the PUP Women's Parliamentarian, from the PUP Women's Group, from Senator Chanona, from the speaker. I hope the speaker is going to send Mr. Perez to the privileges committee because when they were trying to weaponize the 11th Amendment and say that they needed a certain caliber in the House of Representatives. I would surmise that from all that we have read, Mr. Perez falls woefully short. But the point is that is why hypocrisy is not good. That is why politicization is not good when we are dealing with these real life matters of guilt and innocence and code of conduct and ethics."
And now, Barrow is demanding a criminal investigation, and not one that is headed by the attorney general.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"You see, the problem with credibility is that once you lose it, it's gone very difficult to build back, and this government is not even attempting to do things to restore their credibility. They have zero. So when you tell me that a ministerial colleague of Andrew Perez is the person tasked with investigating him, that is absolutely absurd. That is a farce, that is a insult to the Belizean people. What we should be talking about is a criminal investigation. When I was accused, nobody said, oh, well, it's two sides, it's man and wife thing, no."
"So again, what are we doing now where you want to lower the threshold? The PUP said that the threshold that right honorable Dean Barrow led the country with was not enough. Firing them from cabinet was not enough. They should be criminally investigated, arrested, and charged. So why now? Why are we going backwards?"
"It is my position, it is the party's position that there be an immediate suspension and multiple investigations. If the Prime Minister was true to his anti-corruption, good governance ethos that swept him into office, there should be an investigation by the PUP's Ethics Committee. The cabinet should have a code of conduct, a code of ethics that they abide by, that there should be an investigation. If they want the Attorney General to investigate, fine, but there should be a criminal investigation."
