Shyne’s Criticism of PM Briceño, Is It Smoke and Mirrors?

While Barrow has reserved choice words to describe the prime minister for presenting a seemingly shady agreement to Cabinet, he hasn’t disparaged the former Minister of Economic Development in a similar tone.  In fact, much of Barrow’s response came off as a direct attack on the prime minister.  But is it all just smoke and mirrors to change course from the despicable action of a former U.D.P. minister?  Here’s what the Leader of the Opposition had to say.

Shyne Barrow

Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“The prime minister comes across as illiterate and a fool, but I don’t think he is. He read that Definitive Agreement, he knew what he was presenting and what he was presenting is an act of corruption and we must accept that.  He has been exposed and the same way the former minister that signed that has retired from politics, this is a great sign that Briceño needs to do the same.”

Marion Ali

“The signatory of the Definitive Agreement, Mr. Contreras, former minister Contreras, the former AG, Michael Peyrefitte, has said that he had no authority whatsoever to have gone into that agreement single-handedly.  Do you think he should be investigated, Mr. Contreras?”

Shyne Barrow

“The prime minister of this country attempted to take that Definitive Agreement and bring it to the legislature.  So the prime minister needs to be investigated.  Whatever they want to do, let it be what is good for the goose is good for the gander.  They are both in the same boat as far as I am concerned.  And it is more glaring that a prime minister who never supports anything that the UDP does, no matter how good it is, no matter how right it is would take something that was done without the knowledge of the UDP cabinet, that was done without the knowledge of the former prime minister, that was done without the knowledge of any of the ministers, that was done after parliament dissolved… the fact that the prime minister did not come out and say, “This Definitive Agreement is terrible and there is no way, look at what the UDP did!”  No.  He said, “bwai da Definitive Agreement binding.”