Does Courtenay’s Departure Affect Briceño’s Credibility?

Dean Barrow

On Thursday, we shared with you a candid, one-on-one interview with former prime minister Dean Barrow during which he criticized the decision of the Briceño administration to grant outgoing Foreign Minister Eamon Courtenay cabinet privileges, despite his pending return to private practice as an attorney.  But what does Courtenay’s resignation from Cabinet at the end of this month say about the leadership of Prime Minister John Briceño and does it erode public confidence in his ability to steer the country ahead?

Isani Cayetano

“In the eyes of the public, there seems to have been some, if not, a great degree of credibility given to the prime minister, simply because Mr. Courtenay was his right hand, chief advisor, and all of that.  With his departure, do you believe that perhaps this stands to erode public confidence in the prime minister’s leadership and his ability to make certain decisions, sound decisions?”

Dean Barrow, Former Prime Minister

“Well that has to be a trick question because I think confidence in the prime minister’s credibility has already been eroded.  So, do I think that it will erode it some more?  The short answer is yes.  I heard one of your colleagues say that the inside story is that Mr. Courtenay found the prime minister “uncoachable”.  In other words, if that is so, and there is no reason to think it is not, and that becomes part of the public narrative, then it’s another underlining of the fact that the prime minister is viewed as inept and not competent.  And if Courtenay was a kind of ballast, if Courtenay was there to try and act as a kind of governor or to try and keep him on course or to help him avoid tripping all over himself, and Courtenay has given up in frustration, then of course this will add sauce to the public stew.  This will cause people to say, “Ahuh, see there it is”, another instance and perhaps one of the most telling instances showing that the prime minister has not got it together.”