Opposition Leader Talks Royal Caribbean and Portico

Shyne Barrow

Another scandal that remains in the public discourse is the fraudulent Definitive Agreement signed between the Government of Belize and Portico Enterprises back in October 2020.  Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow has written once again to the Royal Caribbean Group which has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Portico putting the company on notice that should the United Democratic Party forms the next administration, it will be forced to review the existing agreement between government and the company, as well as other stakeholders, including Boskalis International and Portico.

Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“We look forward to creating welcoming climate, a fertile investor climate for investors such as the Royal Caribbean Group to plant seeds that will be beneficial to all, but especially the Belizean people.  So I can’t understand anything other than arrogance, anything other than ego, anything other than just a thirty year politician in John Briceño that is totally disconnected and he thinks that we are still living in the George Price cabinet era where people are not abreast of the truth and people are not ready for this revolution.  People are tired of the forty-three years of governance. So when you look at the letter to Royal Caribbean, they need to understand the position of the government in waiting, so that when we become the next government which by God’s grace we will and by the might of the Belizean people we will, it’s no surprise that they were warned.  It’s the same way that Prime Minister Barrow warned Briceño, Attorney General Peyrefitte warned Briceño, former minister Panton warned Briceño that that Portico Agreement, they knew nothing about it.  They were warned and they still proceeded.  There is no way that the United Democratic Party can support any business with Portico.  To me, I agree with the opinion that that is a pension plan for some of the boys, that it’s a manufactured, put together project.”