Marcel Cardona’s truth in the Capital
Marcel Cardona
Marcel Cardona went ballistic against his own government last Friday in the House during the budget debate. While he did not support the budget, he abstained in the vote. His passionate presentation was remarkable for many reasons; he took direct shots at the two most powerful people in his government and party, that being Prime Minister, Dean Barrow and the Deputy Prime Minister, Gaspar Vega. Cardona accused the government of sidelining and refusing to assist his Orange Walk East Constituents. Today he heard from the U.D.P.; it was not good news but first here’s a snippet of what he told the House last Friday.
Marcel Cardona, Orange Walk East Area Representative
“The torment, the scorn and the disrespect has steadily increased. Mister Speaker, there is only so much punishment that a man or a woman can take no matter how humble they may be before humility is turned into rebellion. This is what is happening to us in Orange Walk East. We the people of the Orange Walk East constituency are sick and tired of the unfair treatment afforded to our people. We are sick and tired of the advantage being taken against us. We are tired of the clear discrimination and abuse—we have been suffering at the hands of our very own government. We are tired of being treated like lepers or sub-humans, like we don’t have the same rights and privileges as any other Belizean citizen.”
Michael Finnegan, Minister of Housing
“Mister Speaker, on a point of order. Ih dah look like the member of Orange Walk want the whole budget so why the Prime Minister noh give ahn it.”
Marcel Cardona
“But I was merely being used by the puppet master, who now that he has accomplished his lifelong dream of becoming the first black prime minister now wishes to dispose of the very persons who helped to get him elected and this is one of life’s many ironies.”
WHY DOES Mr. CARDONA NEED TO MAKE A RACIAL REFERENCE???????????????????
I chose to ignore the comment about Dean being the first black PM but at some point we need to address the constant racial overtones of the problems & disagreements we are experiencing in the country. Somehow we have forgotten that for many years Phillip Goldson led the opposition, yet when they came into power, Manuel Esquivel became the PM. The disagreements Cardona has with Dean has nothing to do with race & it pisses me off when instead of focusing on how these men, most of whom have advanced degrees can find positive ways to bring about change in the country which is going to hell in a hand basket, they launch into personal attacks on each other. I don’t care what Dean & Said call each other, how bad Johnnie speaks Spanish or if Vega sounds like he’s speaking Spanglish, we all know what has been done to Poor folks. FIND A WAY TO FIX IT. By the way, Finnegan may not contribute much more than sarcasm to the program but his constituents continue to vote him in because I believe like Espat & Hyde, he knows his constituents & that goes a long way in our culture..
Both parties have been consistent in their treatment of the underclass. None of them give a tish. I believe Orange Walk district has the second highest murder rate in the country. Our people are not killing each other because they are poor, they are doing it because they believe their lives have no value & they cannot value anyone elses’. Reinforcing this by suggesting they are being treated as lepers & sub humans & thus the cause for the discrimination helps no one. The mestizo woman from Toledo who was in the news last week who is trying to get a piece of land in Hamonyville is experiencing the same frustration as the people in the City who go to work every day but walk to & from their jobs in fear because a wayward bullet may take them out or render them crippled.
Don’t just have a meltdown, as an insider, tell us how you feel the system can be changed to serve the majority & not the privileged few.
As a black man, I take umbrage at Marcel’s racial bleatings. You knew Mr. Man was black when you decided to follow his lead and represented your people in political office.
Ironically, it is those same people that rejected you, for whatever reason(s). Don’t continue to show your true colors and just how weak you are by talking about the Man’s racial origin. What does that have to do with you being a lame duck?
Stop the dratted crying… and Man up!!!!
Why dose NEWS 5 need to revisit this OLD news?????
Is it not a fact that Mr. Barrow is Belize’s First Black Prime Minister. It is a historical achievement. I don’t see anything wrong with Mr. Cardona mentioning it.
THE UDP LIKE THE PUP ARE PARTY OF CORRUPTION!
Beloved Mr. Grey we are not living in a color blind society, It is a fact, Barrow being the first Black Belizean Prime Minister much more is expected of him, especially by his fellow black creoles in the jewel. On the contrary, he behaves like a ruthless tyrant. In this day and time we absolutely must identify a spade as a spade. This man is very arrogant and racist in many ways.
Cardona is an ignorant man who cannot work along with any political party. The PUP was happy when he turned UDP, and now the UDP wants him to please turn PUP. He is a thorn in any organization because he loves to quarrel and cause division against any leadership that is not him own. I know him well and i have learnt to keep far from him in Committee meetings, or from him office.
He is a rabble rouser, a miserable man. Not even the law firms want him as an associate in Belize City.
any UDP from OW knows that Marcel grew up all his life as a PUP……so it was quite stupid for the udp to have ever believed he was a UDP at heart….and then they should have known his character about ranting and raving like spoilt-pickney when he no get his way
It was about time someone calls things by its name,every minister from every district should do what he has done,after al all over those towns,villages in belize,have nothing,bad roads that look more like farm roads,one visit those towns and it looks like they are living in the 1960’s.we are in 2011 and no change,no development of no kind on this towns,who is to blame?the to LAW FIRMS,pup & udp.who are headed by CRIMINALS them self, as lawyers.cant belizeans see that?
Because it is a very powerful weapon…..Trying to split votes between one race and the other always works
@Earl Grey I dont see that as racial reference in a negative way, it seemed more like a compliment, in the same way as Obama is the first black president. For what he said, I guess most of us feel what he was saying.
Race exists! Therefore there will be talk of black, white, maya, kriol, spanish, etc. Nothing wrong with that. Facts are facts. I didn’t see this as a breakdown or outburst of Mr. Cardona. I thought he was emphatic in his speech and bold to do so. I did see Barrow laughing and mocking and yawning during Cardona’s time on the floor which made the Prime Minister look childish and disrespectful to the House. Once again, good job Mr. Cardona
Cardona Acted the same way Barrow behaves in the house meetings – like an idiot. The meetings in the House of Rep. clearly shows why Belize is at its worst.
Mister Cardona was pointing out the fact that the PM is the first black man in that post, as a negative. He was pointing it out as an achievement – a great achievement. I believe his main point, however, is that since the PM has now achieved it, all else can go to hell. At least.. that’s my understanding of it!
I don’t see no racial thing here. It is a fact that Mr. Barrow is the first black prime minister. If he is black then he is black. Come on – I have been called Paisa cause I am hispanic (But Belizean to the bone)
i dont see anything wrong with unhonorable cardona mentioning that unhonorable barrow is belize’s first black PM. it IS a historical accomplishment!!!!! nothing wrong with that. but i guess, sorry to say, people with darker complexion feel compelled to focus on this section of cardona’s rant than the rest of teh story he is saying….which is, he is pointing out our PM and deputy PM in corruption acts. apparently, people with dark complexion choose to focus on that little thing rather than teh big picture. *sigh*
JUST WONDERING…..
HOW MANY OF DEM GOT SHAFTED IN THE PAST? I FEEL SORRY FOR THE FEW WHO GOT REALLY SHAFTED… ESPECIALLY THE LADIES. THE LATEST ONE BEING ZENAIDA, BOY BUT SHE IS STRONG. NOW CARDONA IS MAN, HE CAN SHOULDER THE LICK LIKE A MAN. BUT THE WOMEN???????? I WENT TO CHETUMAT 2 DAYS AGO AND SAW MRS. LONGWSWORTH NAME ON A SIGN IN COROZAL AND COULDNT HELP WONDERING IF THIS WILL BE THE “FUTURE NUCLEAR FALL OUT” WITH THE LONGSWORTH FAMILY AFTER THIS.
i respect mr cardona for his rant. it showsmore allediance to the people of belize, rather than to the UDP party. which is the way, if it is a real democracy, it is supposed to be. WHY ALLEGIANCE TO PARTY OVER THE PEOPLE WHO GAVE YOU A JOB IN THE FIRST PLACE?
we give politicians their jobs. when u see job openings in the news paper, it says how much you are paid, requirements to get that job and duties that u need to fulfill. politicians are the only ones who apply for a job, tell you how much they are getting paid ……and after the initial interview (campaigning) you dont see them again.
wish i could walk up to certain politicians and tell them, “your services are no longer required. we’re gonna have to get a replacement. you’re fired”.
and instead of bze ppl really analyizing the house meetings and getting teh most out of budget hearings and learning that our country is in deep doo doo, we instead turn on tehradio and tv to witness the house meeting and laugh at the nonsense that our politicians say. then laugh about it next day around the water cooler. its like politicians hold house meetings to entertain bzeans, cuz all we do after the meeting is done is laugh and finnegan’s jokes, or briceño’s spanish or cardona running away after his speech. like a circus. bze ppl need to wise up, and get serious. our lives and our children’s lives are at stake.
We as Belizeans need to stop being petty, there was a true message comming from Cardona! but the average uneducated person will never see it because of their party prefrience. the measge was about being neglected!
UDP is making a squeeze play on cardona. shut up and stop talking out our secrets or be expelled from our party. “EITHER SHUT UP OR GET OUT”. I THINK HE SHOULD BE FREE TO VOICE HIS OPINION. dont you, when you feel persecuted by a party, open your mouth and say something? why should he keep sealed up because he is a UDP minister? right is right.
To all those who took offense: If any of you bothered to listen to the debate in the house, you’d have understood the context of the words Marcel used! I am a black man / black Belizean who is very aware of the issues of racism and discrimination in our country, but with that said, I DO NOT for one minute feel that Marcel Cardona was being racist in his speech!!! …of course there are those who will wish to cloud the import of his speech by throwing those words like “racism” in the picture to make it as blurry as possible!
Make no mistake, Marcel was not being racist when he referred to Dean BORROW as Belize’s first black prime minister! However, the other UDP members of the House, and their apologists will try their very best to remove your attention from the dismal failure of this administration’s policies. Despite of their attempts at distraction, the fact remains that they are inept and impotent leaders and Marcel just happened to be in a position to voice the thoughts of the majority of the Belizean people!
Finally, I agree that we ALL as a people (of afro, latin, mestizo, maya, mennonite, asian, east indian heritage) must always speak up against racism in any form! …but we must also be careful not be quick to judge & to paint the innocent with the racism brush!!
Cardona also got “shyned”
If any of you knew this man’s personality there would not be a tear shed in these blogs.
Lets forget politics for a while and dont pay attention to his cry for his constituents: he never cared about them. I am not guessing here. It is as if he was punishing his people by not caring so that the UDP loses in the East. He even campainged agaisnt the UDP town council in 2009. His wife is a naturalized alien, paper work done by him when he won, and PUP to the bone. This man is pathologically insane. I dare you to ask around about his character. Crazy crazy. If he hated the UDP so much for years, why not walk away long time ago?
It is clear to me that Cardone was mentioning Dean Barrow’s race in a completely NEGATIVE way, not a postivite way like some of you are trying to spin it.
Cardona meant it like this:
“look at this black man trying to lead our country, who the hell he think he is.”
That is the vibez I got from the speech.
SHAME ON YOU CARDONA and ALL THE OTHER RACIST FOLKS OUT THERE!
‘Nuff said, Javier Solis.You seem to know Marcel better than a lot of us.
Just out of curiosity; why would his own party victimize and ostrasize him knowing fully well the political fallout that could possibly follow? Either his party leadership is very adventurous or very stupid…. or both.
QUE PENDEJADA……. ASK GAPY & JANNY D MEANING……
@Hugo Contreras, you hit the nail on the head.
Dean is behaving the same way Said & Manuel did when they were PM. Many complained about Manuel’s inability to communicate when he was in charge, Dean & Said have both been called dictators & both parties have had their Rogues’ Galleries & families whose wealth has grown at the country’s expense.
Again, politics is the art of spinning BS & getting people to vote against their best interest. We have focused on Dean’s hair or lack thereof, there were comments about Finnegan’s response & Boots chiming in. Boots simply asked that the comments be restricted to the subject at hand, yet he was described as illiterate. Our country is being run into the ground by greedy attorneys who have shown no regard for the average Belizean, many of whom are just a couple paychecks away from starvation. If Javier Solis is correct, Cardona’s melt down may have been just more political theater & another reason why spit never gets done, too many damn egos MUST be fed. Again, what did he request at the beginning of his tenure that he did not get?
I find it SO FUNNY that they believe that Cardona mentioning he is the “first black prime minister” is seen as a racial comment!! I thought Barrow IS THE FIRST BLACK P.M. Now the funny thing, what happens when the creole and black members of the our government or opposition, cause both have been guilty of it, refer to others as “white man” or “white man mentality.” Now please explain how that is not RACIAL?!!!!
this gentleman needs to run our country,young,energenic,educated and willing to speak his mind and say what he thinks. too bad there are so many of our ministers are cowards that they don’t want to piss the[ master] just to keep lining their pockets.
@ enuff mein, Actually that would be a good slogan coming up to the next election, “your services are no longer required. we’re gonna have to get a replacement. you’re fired”. Remember, My Legacy B 4 My People.
I believe Mr Cardona is doing a great Job not because im on the same Party dat means i must tolerate everything that we do no matter right or wrong!! he is standin for his people!! dat is d kind of leaders we need here in Belize. but BArrow Vega!! an not to Mention lady mouth Finnegan all a dem di in fi Flippin Money So da what!! He may accomplish his dream of being the first Black prime Minister but the first OPM to do Bullshit to his ppl and expect everybody to be satisfy with it! TOTAL NONSENSE i have NEVER VOte AND NEVER. I want to stay with a clean Criminal people!! But what can we say!! We r d same damn people dat put their selfish backside where they are rite now!! yes he may be black, but u people dont look at the motive oh the heart and mind. Our mentally is o because he is Black an i Black he must got we back!! PPL the same little $50. Its ure same tax money u getin back that u have worked so hard for that they are givin away freely.This same money he give u to campaign is what they believe is Job accomplish for u the ppl they dont need to do naything more. b wise open ur eyes dont let them intimidate u!! When thy have serve their 5 yr and have gain they care less to bve voted back in!! but if they try hard to run again its because their Job havent been accomplish as yet!! Convention comin up in Roaring Creek i live there but they aint getin as single Hello who the Hell are they. They are their for themselves not us!!
Choose wisely people general ection drawing near Think OPEN ur eyes.
Dont vote because UDP or PUP is in my Blood for years no matta what!! Chose what is best for u chose those who will stand up for the rights of us not for jus themselves!! we want to be jus like them but how will we ever reach there wen we settle for less. ‘If we stand up for anything we will fall for anything!!
listen solis and mr. grey,maybe u r nor from ow, so u dont know whats going on!here in ow, we all know mr. cardona was set up!its quite clear u do not know nothing!!!!!!!!!!!there is nothing wrong with standing up for the truth!!!udp satnds for nothing and those who stand for nothing fall for anything……there, i said it- the ultimate demise of this arrogant government!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
fact is fact udp da stress
My fellow BelizeCan it’s time to put up or Shut-up! Brethren, Mr. Cardona said somethings that everyone know but none care to say for fear of Victimization. Belize is not a Democracy but a dictatorship and/or Tyrannical.
“A government afraid of its citizens is a Democracy, citizens afraid of their government is Tyranny!” Thomas Jefferson
After being in Belize for little over 16months and working directly with Senior Government Officials and Cabinet Members; I can tell you first hand that this place is corrupt.
Why don’t Belizeans stand up? At every level of Society and Government to include inside the Cabinet itself, there is serious complaint and concern about political Victimization.
“The purpose of Government is to enable the people of a nation to live in safety and happiness. Government exists for the interest of the Governed, not for the Governors!” Thomas Jefferson
Is it not ironic then that in Belize, the safe and happy ones are Most Politicians. They get to have a driver, a new Government issued SUV, drive to their heart’s content on Tax payer financed Gas (which is now almost $11..50 per gallon; not a bit concerned about their safety or happiness. They have it made-in-the-shade; while the poor get’s poorer!
If my count is correct by those who respondents, the majority re with Mr. Cardona, the question is however, are they PUP who like to see the fight that is gong on within the party? What’s obvious however, is that the ruling party is way out of line with the people of the country. The next election could be very interested.
A dog showed up at my House this afternoon and went insane, messing up everything. I adopted him, and its now my pet. I named him marcel cardona.
WE NEED more politicians that will STAND no matter how, when, and where for the people of Belize.. no color, religion, politics, and all that BS..
and that is true only certain people get help, same thing is and has happen around my areas (Cayo west ), we are all Belizeans treat we like one!!
when i go to Benque, San Ignacio i see no progress, even though we have ministers living there, no progress, i have seen more people begging, than working!! and this is no matter who or witch party wins..
also i can see and smell that dump site by Clarissa falls that really produces allot of pollution poor people around those areas there health is in risk..
just my point of view, no colors !! come on people you employ them you have the last word!!
i wish that when i can vote, they have different parties and people who willing to work for us Belizeans!!
@javier solis, you’re a damn idiot. don’t we all have a personality? Not because we become politicians or doctors,we should not have a personality and the reason why he’s there fighting with Dean Barrow in the first place because he did not get what he deserved to take care oh his constituence…like duh! Is it illegal to marry someone from another country? and when you do isn’t the right thing to do to get her naturalized? I would campaign against anyone that did me wrong too and history showed us that Dean Barrow is a big UDP and Lois Young Barrow a big PUP so hush.Since when was that a crime? I am one of the people that knows him personally and everything you said about him is a damn lie.You must be one of Dean Barrow’s @$$ licker.
What about Dean Barrow???? He is soooo arrogant too.