As the UDP courted the Belizean people in the months leading up to the General Elections, their campaign jingle proclaimed that their Party would govern “fu you, fu me, fu all a wi.” They would be neither nepotistic nor vindictive. Alas, after just six months, the marriage between the UDP and the people is heading for the rocks.   

Reproduced below this editorial is a letter that was sent recently to the duly elected PUP Mayor of Punta Gorda Carlos Galvez, advising him that Mrs. Delly Martinez, the wife of Hon. Eiden Martinez, Minister of Human Development and Social Transformation, has been appointed to Chair the September Celebrations Committee for the Toledo District. She was appointed by her husband, no less. The Mayors in all other municipalities chair their respective September Celebrations Committee. Mayor Galvez has chaired this Committee in all previous years he has served as Mayor of Punta Gorda.

Mayor Galvez has called publicly on the Prime Minister to set his errant Minister right and reverse this outrageous and arbitrary decision by Minister Martinez. The PUP, offended by this blatant disrespect of Mayor Galvez, has also issued a press release demanding that Mayor Galvez be allowed to Chair this Committee, and that the constant undermining of Galvez by the UDP cease immediately. Sadly, we do not expect that Prime Minister Barrow will act, not just because his pre-election standards were hollow but because the examples of favoritism and nepotism already abound in this relatively young administration. Let’s take a closer look.

Lois Young Barrow has acted as Attorney General – she is the ex-wife of the PM and one of his intimate advisers. Lois is also the attorney of choice for the UDP government in its outsourcing of the work of the Solicitor General to private (UDP) lawyers. Lois’ sister is the new CEO at the Ministry of Economic Development. The PM’s son has also stood in as a temporary Senator. The PM’s sister (and Campaign Manager) is reported to be the “coordinator” for the new cleaning contract at the Central Bank Building (after single mothers, mostly from the Pink’s Alley area were summarily fired by Barrow).

Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega’s brother is alleged to be the importer of choice for certain government orders. Foreign Minister Sedi Elrington’s daughters have been placed in cushy position in the Foreign Service. Elrington’s brother, Hubert, has been named to the Belize-Guatemala Negotiating Team. Housing Minister Michael Finnegan’s wife is the big boss at the Youth for the Future Program. And, there is more.

Minister Melvin Hulse’s daughter is employed at the Ministry of Economic Development while Minister Erwin Contreras’ aunt is said to have carved out a plush contract with Beltraide. The nephew of National Security Minister Carlos Perdomo is Chairman of the Committee that approves development concessions while UDP Chairman (and Senator) Douglas Singh’s brother is CEO at the Ministry of Tourism. And, there is more.

Minister of Tourism Manuel Heredia is said to be behind his cousins, who seek to displace the Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association while another relative of Heredia has landed on the BTB staff. The BTB was also the landing pad for former UDP PM’s daughter and UDP Councilor Laura Esquivel. Minister John Saldivar’s sister was appointed CEO at the Ministry of Housing while a relative of Hon. Patrick Faber is said to be the contractor of choice for the UDP’s national school feeding program.

In a country of only 300,000 citizens, it is unreasonable to expect that a Minister of Government can completely avoid the perception of nepotism; he or she may inherit a relative in the public service or be required to utilize a relative with a particular professional specialty in the private sector. No one would expect that such a relative would resign or forego a professional appointment. That would be unreasonable. But when the government’s power is exerted to punish certain citizens while rewarding relatives simply because that power of punishment and reward rests with the UDP politician, now that is an entirely different matter. That is cronyism and nepotism in the flesh.

We ask: of all the attorneys in Belize, is Lois the only one that government can hire? What tourism qualifications does Senator Singh’s brother have to be CEO at the Ministry of Tourism? Why would Minister Heredia lock out the reputable Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association from Ambergris Caye? The answers to these questions and other questions related to the examples we have cited in this essay point to a government fixated on rewarding their relatives and close friends as priority one.

The UDP can’t have their cake and eat it. They can’t vilify the previous administration for “cronyism” when their priority is so obviously to secure the lot of their relatives. And the UDP certainly cannot expect to talk transparency and walk nepotism. The case of Mrs. Martinez in Punta Gorda is a major test of the Barrow administration’s commitment to transparency and good governance. If his pronouncements on reform will carry any weight, he must step in and allow Mayor Carlos Galvez, elected by the people of Punta Gorda, to do his job and chair the September Celebrations Committee in that district. Anything less would confirm our worst fears.