Barrow Says G.O.B. Won’t Entertain Chamber Criticism of Petrocaribe Law

Dean Barrow

As we told you earlier, the People’s United Party has drafted a legislation that effectively serves as an alternative to the Petrocaribe Amendment Act.  While the P.U.P. took into consideration the position of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the president of the private sector organization has described the changes in the recently passed bill as purely cosmetic.  In responding to that criticism, PM Barrow says that government has reached a point where it is no longer entertaining what the Chamber has to say on that matter.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“While nobody wants to shut off the debate about Petrocaribe, nobody wants to close down their campaign and the campaign of those in alliance with them. I need to tell them there’s a point at which the Government certainly will say, fine you continue to talk, we’re not going to entertain you any further and I fear we’ve reached that point.”

Reporter

“However, there is the Chamber of Commerce which says that the Government has in fact not even responded, that you have not responded to their request to speak about the legislation.”

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“Man, but that’s it. I will send you a copy of the last letter they sent to me. They said in that letter that they appreciated my general invitation to all social partners and everyone else in deed to dialogue. They never in that meeting said, so we want to take you up on that offer and we’re asking you for that meeting. The invitation that went to them, went to the N.T.U.C.B.  N.T.U.C.B. quite properly wrote to me and said fine. Therefore can we have a meeting and we agreed a date. The Chamber never asked that. How can they say I did not give them the opportunity? They had to say to me, yes we accept your invitation can we fix a date. They never did that. I also think they were playing the fool.”