PM to the Embattled Union’s Rescue?
During the meeting, PM Barrow and the union representatives agreed that the P.S.U.’s Belmopan address should remain the same, despite the sale of the property. While Mayor Khalid Belisle has caught flak for selling the parcel of land without giving the union the first right of refusal, the PM says that in time the municipal leader will be able to rebound from that black-eye.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“I will say that we agree that the objective is to restore control of that Hilltop property to the P.S.U. and I have proposed a way to make that happen and we are, both sides, absolutely confident that in consequence it will occur. I don’t want to get into the details of the methodology but I can say with absolute certainty that we are going to be able to procure the restoration of that Hilltop property to the P.S.U.”
Dean Barrow
Isani Cayetano
“From a political point of view, doesn’t this sort of cast a black eye on the municipal government in Belmopan for the manner in which it went about selling off the property?”
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“There have been criticisms and I would have to concede that notice, in my view, should have been given to the P.S.U. before the sale was agreed. I do not pronounce at all on the merits of whether the council was entitled to sell the property. In fact, let me say distinctly and directly, that was the council’s entitlement, but whatever the disagreement was, it was common ground that the P.S.U. ought to have been given the right of first refusal and according to the council, it was and there was this inability to come to terms. Let’s accept that. Even so, before the council actually sold, I think it would have been preferable if they had given the P.S.U. notice by way of what they might have framed as an ultimatum, a last chance opportunity for the P.S.U. to come to terms with them. It is a matter of great regret that that wasn’t done so that the sale itself took the P.S.U. completely off guard with the resultant upset and hurt feelings all around. That’s water under the bridge. The objective is to cure the situation, the mischief, the prejudice as the P.S.U. sees it, that has been done to the P.S.U. and that we will do.”
