The prime minister then had the face of brass to go on public radio and state that he makes no apologies for these unwarranted firings.  Mr. Barrow went on to state that people should understand that his party needs to find work for its supporters.  This is something I will never understand.  When people go to the polls to vote it should be because they want better for the country and not necessarily only to secure self interest.    Minister of Works Boots Martinez also stated unapologetically that he had fired numerous individuals around the country.  The most shocking was his admittance that he had fired as many as forty workers from the public works department in Punta Gorda.  Of all places Punta Gorda, with the highest level of poverty in the country.  Imagine a working parent with two or more children to feed and put through school.  To just pull the rug from under that provider’s feet just because you think that he did not vote for your party is unconscionable.  What happens to that family and do these people even care?  With much talk about alleviating poverty, does this kind of action help in any way?  The UDP’s manifesto of course, promised to create jobs and this might be their way of doing it.  

The Prime Minister then stood up in the house and stated that the UDP was only doing what the PUP did in 1998.  Really!  Even if that was true, and most people know that it isn’t then what the Prime Minister is saying is that the UDP will do is just what the PUP did.  So why did we need a change?  Was not the promise that they would do different and better?  The Prime Minister accused opposition member Francis Fonseca of hiring a particular teacher who, for four years, did nothing but show up and collect a paycheck and did not teach a single class.  Basically the same excuse that the Hon. Martinez gave for firing his workers in PG.  Problem is that unlike the poor folks in PG, this teacher had access to a telephone and credible witnesses to prove that those allegations were in fact, false. A check with the Public Works Department in PG also revealed that Hon. Boots Martinez was apparently misinformed or was being deliberately disingenuous.    The department in fact had a total of 59 workers, and just about every one was hard working and gave fair value for money.  Is it any wonder that the UDP got most riled up before elections about one sign in particular, “PUP HIRE, UDP FIRE”.

Unfortunately, the political firings have not been confined to just the Ministry of Works.  Health care workers, the education department and even the Police have fallen victim to the cruel axe of these terminators.  No less than the CEO of the KHMH was recently locked out of his office and dismissed based on allegations that he was too friendly with the past administration.  Equally alarming are the reports that many of the high level jobs are being filled by people being brought back home from abroad; talk about “Fairweather” patriots.

For months before the elections, Wave radio had been reading a list of witches who would be hunted once their victory was secured.  True to their word, most have either been fired, contracts cancelled or transferred to lowly positions in the hope that they would get frustrated and quit.  Take the case of Senior Superintendent of Police Chester Williams who was transferred to a desk job in Belmopan designated for a person way below his rank.  Chester, it was stated, was just too friendly with the former Minister of Police and had to be disciplined.  What they did not take into consideration was the fact that Chester Williams was one of the few Police Officers who commanded the respect of the criminals on the streets and since his transfer and suspension, the situation has gotten out of hand.

In the midst of all of this of course, is the deafening silence of the mainstream media who were merciless in their criticisms and condemnation of the previous administration.  Seems the honeymoon is still on.  The fact of the matter is that regardless of which party is doing the victimizing, it is unjust, non productive and just plain wrong.  Such actions should be condemned by all, regardless of party affiliation after all, as the old saying goes, today it is me but tomorrow it just might be you.