Julius Espat Says PM Barrow Has Destroyed Democracy

Julius Espat

Earlier in our newscast, we brought you some of the highlights of a budget debate which was largely uninspiring and lacklustre. Still, the Opposition managed to get in its jabs at the government and at a budget which it called a “Tax, Borrow and Spend” budget. The budget does indeed make reference to increased spending which will be focused on a continuing infrastructure boom. Still, there is the belief that the very overt promises of plenty are being used as blatant political carrots. According to Cayo South’s Area Representative Julius Espat, Prime Minister Dean Barrow is destroying democracy in Belize.

Julius Espat, Area Representative, Cayo South

“Prime Minister is tearing apart the very fabric of the fundamental virtues of cooperation and unity necessary for a civilised society, Mister Speaker. All this is done to satisfy his inflated ego of wanting to be the first to be crowned trice in the post independent Belize and all the other guys are blowing up his ego…see dehn right there blowing it up. Mister Speaker, my warning and my appealing to the people of Belize is not founding on cheap partisan rhetoric. My conclusion of the danger that is facing this country, Mister Speaker, is premised on evidence and on reasoning. It is grounded in recent election events at which the Prime Minister gave credence to him embracing of the spoil system; that, the base and divisive centrepiece policy of this U.D.P. administration. In the recent by-election in the Cayo North and the just concluded municipal elections, the Prime Minister in his irrational exuberance made the people understand in no uncertain terms that the U.D.P. administration is awash in money, mien it is clear…millions and millions and millions of dollars. But Mister Speaker, the Prime Minister also made it clear that such money was only for the benefit of those who voted U.D.P.  Am I right or wrong Prime Minister? That is a fact and we can go back to the recording because we have recordings now. And it seems to be a disease that both sides are getting the hit now.”