P.U.P. fires a statement in response to Mark King’s crass remarks
On Tuesday, Minister of State Mark King, in a candid interview with the media, made it abundantly clear that the needs of his political party and those of its supporters come before the wants of the Belizean people and, undoubtedly, way, way ahead of the opposition. While the comment was in reference to U.D.P. stalwarts securing business opportunities with Norwegian Cruise Line, under the controversial Harvest Caye Development Project, King’s statement says a lot as it relates to government’s priority list. The inflammatory remark has certainly raised the ire of the public, as well as the People’s United Party. Earlier today, Leader of the Opposition Francis Fonseca issued a firm release condemning, “the ignorant and arrogant comments of Minister of State Honorable Mark King.” King’s words, according to the P.U.P. release, describe a patronage system of spoils in which the ruling party and its loyalists rank first in order of priority. For context, we will revisit that interview with Minister King.
Mark King, Minister of State, Human Development [File: May 22nd, 2014]
“We as a government, we as a U.D.P. government we are a mass party, we have a lot of supporters, we look after all Belizeans in general. But, of course with any mass political party, you look after U.D.P. first, you look after Belizeans second and you look after P.U.P. last. I straight up like that, I noh got nothing fi hide from di media. So, at the end of the day if that is your concept that we went to do that, I didn’t say we went to do that. What I know I was particularly invited in the meeting for was to engage those partners from NCL in terms of alongside BELTRAIDE ministry and the Ministry of Local Government in terms of investment and other factors to see how we can engage them to see what it is their time frame to roll out and how it is we can engage the representatives of the people down there, the elected representatives of the people down there to communicate with them. We were opening somewhat a communication barrier with them.”
Reporter
“Okay, but is there any process where it will be that you all have told Mr. Murphy of Norwegian Cruise Line that, “We eat first. We, or the government which is enabling Norwegian Cruise Line to, we are facilitating this investment and so our party must eat first.” Was that clearly communicated?”
Mark King
Mark King
“I don’t think that was the idea of the meeting any at all. I think the idea was to open up the communication lines of the charter rollout timeframe for NCL and the people were having concerns, you know, what that time frame will be and how they will go about applying for jobs and stuff like that. It wasn’t nothing to say go and put any kind of ultimatum on NCL, if we would do that to any investor that would be very wrong of us.”
Reporter
“Now, we know that Emilio Zabaneh has been very active, I’ve spoken to him about what all he wants to do. Is that a concern for you all that, because of how aggressive he’s courted Norwegian Cruise Line and where he has positioned himself and his people and he’s very active in the P.U.P. down there, that because of situations like that, your people or the U.D.P. people might end up being left out in the cold if they don’t be aggressive?”
Mark King
“Well that is one thing to look at but I have no knowledge of Mr. Zabaneh and his actions down there. In terms of the people we represent, we try to open up communication lines for them so there is no barrier between them and the investor. And at the same time we understand that Mr. Zabaneh, I think, has contracts with NCL already. That’s none of our business, that’s between Mr. Zabaneh and NCL and to all Belizeans who want to gain from NCL I believe that is their right to go and see what they can accomplish.”
While the release reiterates that there is a distinction between the political party and the government, the P.U.P. calls on PM Barrow to apologize to the nation for King’s insensitive remarks.
I am a UDP supporter but I am thinking that Mark knows that his days are number, especially since Hyde is returning to his post.
Fonseca is being kind in his description of King. King, as well as the rest of this UDP Administration, are thugs! Belizeans only have themselves to blame for voting for these hooligans. Now I see that I am also being kind but Channel 5 probably wouldn’t post what I really think of these dregs of society.
When we have elected officials making statements like this it helps us to get into their minds and know how they think and their level of intelligence. How can someone that is supposedly one of the leaders of our country stand up and tell all Belizeans that he cars none about them only the party he supports.
What is even worse there are those that will still support him. I would not be surprise if the PM stand up and say their standard line “we have no apologies”!
It does not matter what party you support how can you tell all Belizeans that all you care about is the political party not them?
This is no surprise why are the pup just speaking out now unu need fu get unu cojones together and start giving it to this corrupt udp pm and gov. They don’t care about what happens to any belizean they only care about filling their own pockets if they don’t even care about over 4000 dead belizeans why should they care about anything else over 4000 belizeans murdered and this pm has yet to offer a condolance or an apology to the family of any of these people who have been viciously murdered for a few dollars perhaps it’s because this gov. Paid these murderers to kill these people who knows.
Mark King of Stupidity
I think I have said enough about this insignificant blonde!
King the life style you currently enjoy, like the rich and the famous, is paid by all of us, UDP, PUP, and no P at all. Power have gone to your brains, and now you are talking with your small head that shows a deep lack of sense. We do know its your UDP party policy you are sprouting, and way of thinking, so come election, we will see how much loudmouth you have after!
I guess he went from snitching out Castro to snitching out the whole UDP but we already know it is UDP 1st, Belizean 2nd and PUP last. When UDP lose the next general elections, it will be chaos in that divided party. I hope PUP get many of those crooked @$$es to be locked up.
I hope that the PUP will not get bogged down with inquiries and investigations when they get elected. Nevertheless, some of these individuals need to serve some jail time. However with the so called deal of renewing/extended the contract of the crooked judge, who knows what will happen? Perhaps, this is why the Prime Minister is so quick to renew/extend the judge’s contract.
JEJEJJEJE ay mein mark king da wa clown,he da wa puppet,hooked by the puppet master dena oliver burrow,i mean barrow-so shame di way dem behave like if dem da Gods and like if their turns would never end,but at the end of the day the people have the POWER,I have common sence i never voted for this crooked,corrupt,ignorant,vindictive UDP government…mark king has splited up and that split will drop right back a eh face,just watch and see.SO PITTY OF HIM.
Mark is a fool to say such things but the sad part is that it is the hard truth. And for you guys making comments it goes for the Pups as well just that they are smarter as not to say so .
king just showing his arrogance as a person and a politicization.one of the reasons why his woman prob left him. its always bout him, he is always the right one even if he is not..