And outside the chambers, we spoke to the former Minister of Home Affairs about his new portfolio of Immigration, Labour and Governance. To many, it seems like a demotion after several public controversies in relation to citizen security. However, he doesn't see it that way, and he says his law degree is what made PM make the switch.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Immigration, Labor, & Governance
"I look at every single opportunity, to serve the people of Belize as a promotion. First and foremost, I think we have to acknowledge at all times, that we are area representatives, all 31 of us hold a very special place, a privileged place in this country. I'm the representative for Caribbean Shores. That's my primary role. Second to that, of course, is our ministerial appointments, if it is, that the Prime Minister finds it that you are to be a minister. And so I look forward to this new role, the ministry of Immigration, labor and governance as a new challenge for me. I look forward to it with great optimism. I know that it's a lot of challenges over at the Immigration Ministry. Labor, of course, has its issues as well. And, of course, the redistricting process that comes with governance. And so all of them the prime minister said he would need my assistance, primarily because of my legal background, for us to navigate the way forward in these three very critical ministries. So I look at it as a promotion."
Courtney Menzies
"So why didn't he assign you this portfolio when he made his cabinet back in March?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Immigration, Labor, & Governance
"That's a matter again, when you're looking to reconfigure your cabinet as the Prime Minister did in March, I think he found that that was doing an excellent job in home affairs. And so he had decided then to leave me there."
Courtney Menzies
"So is it that you're not doing an excellent job anymore?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Immigration, Labor, & Governance
"Well, the Prime Minister's words were, I'm doing a good job. So, and I think according to your news director, I got a B plus. So I think overall, I left the Ministry of Home Affairs in very able, qualified hands in Minister Mira. But I left it having done a pretty good job."
Courtney Menzies
"Do you think Mr Williams would make a good CEO for Home Affairs?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Immigration, Labor, & Governance
"Yes, I believe, based on the names that I've heard, being former Commissioner Williams, Deputy Commissioner Bart Jones, I think both of them would do an excellent job."
Courtney Menzies
"What's the fate of your former CEO?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Immigration, Labor, & Governance
"I'm not sure of that."
But is Minister Musa about to lose some of his "political clout"? And will this signal the a downward spiral in his career? Here's what he said.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Immigration, Labor, & Governance
"I have never heard that question posed before. And I've never thought of it like that, because if you listen to anyone else, aside from Paul Lopez, they will tell you that the Ministry of Home Affairs is a death trap for your political career. It's actually suicide. So, a lot of people are messaging me and saying, you're now going to be able to really thrive as a minister, not having all of that behind on you anymore, all that pressure on you. And really and truly, I was a minister that took every single gunshot, every single murder on my own shoulders. A lot of people told me that explains all the grey hair I've gotten over the years. So I, I don't know how else to take your question, because a lot of people are saying that now I have even greater opportunity over the Ministry of Immigration."
"It's three very powerful portfolios. As I mentioned earlier, a lot of them have legal issues, especially over at labor with some trade disputes that are actually live right now. I haven't had a chance to sit down with the labor commissioner as yet, but we moved very quickly into trade disputes and so there is a lot that needs to be done. I look at it as a huge, huge vote of confidence by the Prime Minister. If you look at the previous ministers of immigration, being senator, you know, Courtenay, followed by, Minister Frances Fonseca and the prime minister, I think I am sitting in a very good cadre of individuals with great integrity. And it's not anybody I can see that can fill that position. And so I look at it as a vote of confidence by the Prime Minister."
Courtney Menzies, Interviewer
"Do you aspire to one day lead the party? And do you see this as a setback?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Immigration, Labor, & Governance
"I never entered politics to lead, per se. That's never been one of my wishes. I've always said that leadership depends on whether the people want to. 80% of it depends on whether the people want you to lead. The next 20% is your own personal aspiration. But at the end of the day, that's a long way down the road. Right now we have a lot of hard work to get done within these three ministries."
