O.A.S. Welcome to Observe General Elections

Dean Barrow

There have been sparks of violence going into the November fourth elections. A fire destroyed the campaign office U.D.P. standard bearer Ralph Huang last Monday and over the weekend, with temperatures running high, supporters of both major political parties clashed up north.  This morning, the Prime Minister was asked about the hostilities as well as about the presence of a team from the Organization of American States that arrives later this week to monitor the elections.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“The O.A.S. has sent observers, certainly goes back a couple of elections; that is as it should be. We are proud of the fact that we always have peaceful elections. We always have free and fair and just elections. And so while we don’t need any external agency to certify that, it doesn’t hurt. They are welcome to come; they are welcome to take the message to the world that Belize really is a showcase democracy from which so many other countries could learn a thing or two.”

Reporter

“I’m glad that you brought up the aspect of peaceful elections. What do you make of the issue of Ralph Huang’s constituency building being burnt down as well as the brawl in Progresso? It seems that that’s momentum building up to the elections.”

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“It’s unfortunate but again, I say we have peaceful elections because there is not anything like the sorts of pitched battles that we see in some other countries and there is never any countenancing of the one or two incidents that have always happened and where supporters of either of the two major political parties will sometimes behave in a way that is less that desirable. But I don’t think you would find either party officially countenancing that sort of that thing and I think you will find both parties are quick to condemn anything that is out of the ordinary. So it is regrettable, but it has not been as serious as it could have been. And I hope that there will not be any other similar incidents between now and next Wednesday.”