By: Mike Rudon Jr.
On Independence Day the Prime Minister was visibly upset as he listened to the address by the Leader of the Opposition. It seems that he was not comfortable listening to reality being read to him, since he prefers to reside in his own pimped-out little red bubble. It seems he got irritated that anybody would dare to invite reality into what should have been his show, governed by the niceties of protocol. In fact, Mr. Barrow made scathing reference to those who flaunted protocol during this time of patriotism to let him know that he is a dud…a missile with no propulsion system and no warhead who is doing a piss-poor job of running this country, 29 years after Independence.
I say there was no better time to make the leader of the nation aware of what has become of this once pristine jewel under his watch. There was no better time to remind Mr. Barrow that nearly three decades after the fight to glorious nationhood, 43 percent of our people live below the poverty line and another 16 percent are vulnerable to poverty. There was no better time to remind the man who is at the helm that 30 percent of our children are being excluded from primary and secondary schools. There was no better time to call to the attention of the head honcho that by the time you read this we may have already recorded 100 murders in this country, three full months before the year ends. Hell, what better time could there be – it's not like he listens anyway?
The Leader of the Opposition John Briceno, who did every Belizean proud on Independence Day, said it best when he spoke about the struggle to nationhood, the bold visionaries who led the charge and what has become of that proud legacy…
"Independence Day is a time when Belizeans crave unity, and rightly WANT to celebrate our nationhood. Independence Day is also the right time and it is our responsibility to address the state of our nation. Today we are shackled by an economic recession whose untrammelled effect is being felt in every settlement, village, town and city in our Jewel…
Every day, businesses are forced to fold and more Belizeans continue to lose jobs. Our very infrastructure is breaking up before our eyes. Too many of our children are out of school and our youth have little hope. Rampant crime and violence, hatred and fear, stalk our beloved land, causing us to live as prisoners in our own homes. Never before in the history of our country have we been forced to mourn so grievously and so often…
We were asked to imagine the possibilities, and this is the reality: telephone, water and light bills have NOT gone down.
The cost of living continues to rise unabated.
Gas prices are skyrocketing.
More taxes have been levied on already burdened Belizeans.
Everywhere across the Jewel, there is fear and trepidation and even despair.
Many families survive on noodles, and steak is beyond the reach of most.
So much of what we struggled to build is now being destroyed.
We can do better than this.
We ALL deserve better than this. We ARE better than this."
Mr. Barrow made an effete verbal jab at the Leader of the Opposition, directing him not to curse the darkness but to help light a candle. Boss, first of all we're not cursing the darkness…we're cursing YOU for bringing the darkness on the majority of your people while you and members of your family and the rest of the UDP fat cats live in mansions powered by perpetual light. And what, you want us to help light a candle…hell, we'd like to light a blowtorch under your butt to get you out of Belmopan quick, fast and in a hurry. How dare you be asking for help now when you have used every opportunity to victimize our people and you continue to reject every constructive offer of assistance issued by the Opposition because you claim to know it all? Yeah, we know that all the cameras were turned your way and it was a fabulous photo-op and a great sound bite, but that's all it was – end of story.
So while you attempt to hide behind a façade of patriotism, Mr. Barrow, we remind you that we are all real patriots and we hurt like all our people because of what YOU have done to our country. You would have blind stupidity from us, and would have us remain mute in the name of patriotism because your little pink bubble cannot sustain itself under the shock of life out here, but that is not to be. The time will come, Mr. Barrow, when the same patriotism you hide behind will be the rallying cry of all our people and the proclamation of your downfall. Done seh it!
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Source: The Belize Times
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