P.U.P. appoints Senators

The Leader of the Opposition named his appointees last Thursday, the Governor General announced his nominee on Friday… and today it was the Prime Minister’s turn to reveal his choices for the Senate. Dickie Bradley, who took a Cabinet post, was by necessity named earlier, and joining him on the P.U.P. side of the Senate will be some names which may or may not be familiar, perhaps depending on where you live. Leading the government’s business in the Senate will be attorney Eamon Courtenay. Courtenay is a longtime P.U.P. activist who over the last five years was drawn increasingly to the front lines of the party’s campaign to regain power. Joining him is another familiar name, this time from the world of business, Barry Bowen. Bowen, who made his mark in the soft drink and beer industry, has in recent years established himself as the nation’s most aggressive businessman, investing heavily in agriculture, food processing and more recently shrimp farming. He was an early target of the Esquivel administration, and was publicly accused by the former Prime Minister of seeking to finance the overthrow of his government. The other two senate nominees are less known on the national stage but have made their mark on their respective communities. Francis “Frank” Castillo is a former mayor of Dangriga who joins Speaker of the House Sylvia Flores as the second major appointee from that southern town, while Clara Zetina, a primary school teacher from Corozal, brings additional geographic balance to the P.U.P. appointments. The Senators will begin their official duties on Saturday when the National Assembly will make its ceremonial opening in Belmopan.