PM Barrow Weighs in on Kareem Musa’s China Visit

Kareem Musa’s visit to Mainland China two weeks ago is still the subject of much debate in political circles across the country.  While it may have died down in the news this week, it is being resurrected following the Prime Minister’s take on the unsanctioned visit and the impression it gives in light of Belize’s diplomatic relations with Taiwan.  This morning, the P.M. went in on the Caribbean Shores Area Representative and openly questioned the purpose of Musa’s visit to the Far East.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

Dean Barrow

“Whether the administration of this country is in the hands of the PUP or the UDP, relations with Taiwan have been a bedrock of our international diplomacy.  Sad to say though, Madam Speaker, in my view, those relations have been dealt a blow and severely prejudiced, I hope not irreparably, by the trip made to Mainland China by some members of the People’s United Party.  As I understand it, two city councilors and the honorable member for Caribbean Shores.  Now Madam Speaker, Mainland China is a country with which we have no diplomatic relations.  Indeed, there had been relations that I, as foreign minister, had in fact overseen the implementation of and when the government changed, as I said, the Right Honorable Member for Fort George, as foreign minister, presided over a switch to Taiwan. I don’t understand what was in play, in terms of the trip that the honorable member for [Caribbean Shores] made in concert with the PUP city councilors.  As we hear it, it was an all expense paid trip.  We were first told that it was at the invitation of the President of the Belize China Friendship Association, but of course the president of that association immediately put out a statement saying nothing of the sort could be farther from the truth and so giving the lie to the version of events to which the nation had been treated by the member for [Caribbean Shores].  Madam Speaker, apart from my having thought that there was a kind of concordat, if you will, between the UDP and the PUP to maintain and strengthen these relations between Belize and Taiwan, it is certainly our sense that the people of this country would not want to see us turn our face away from Taiwan.”