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Barrow Defends Appointment of Son Anwar to BTL Board
posted (August 27, 2009)

That aside, another appointment to the board that has drawn criticism is Anuar Barrow. He’s the Prime Minister’s 27 year old son and an independent businessman who owns and operates the Quick Stop Personal Finance Center. His mother, Lois Young is Secretary to the BTL Board – a post she formerly held from 1988 to 2004. We asked the Prime Minister, why his own son?

Jules Vasquez,
“It seems like overweening nepotism.”

Hon. Dean Barrow,
“No man. As I explained my son is as you put me in an uncomfortable situation, obliging me to say this, is very personable, very bright, very knowledgeable in terms of the cutting edge issues with respect to the modern day corporate culture. In that context, for me to be able to have him there to play the extremely constructive role that I know he will play but also as my personal eyes and ears is I think to be understood. I have a lot politically riding on this. The nation has a lot riding on it as an issue of overarching importance. While completely the board of directors is wonderful, I don’t see that anybody can grudge me wanting to have that extra edge which in my view and on the basis of my thinking Anwar’s presence represents.

But please, I absolutely am positive that having him there is a good move. Having him there means that the personal connection with the staff, which is very important, the messages of reassurance that I want conveyed to the staff and repeat it over the days ahead, that that will get through to them loud and clear because the messenger is my son.”

Jules Vasquez,
“You can see though how it can be interpreted from outside. His mother is the secretary of the board, he is a member of the board, and if it should end up in court your brother is on the Court of Appeals. View it from outside, imagine you don’t know these people, you don’t know that Miss Lois is a pre-eminent attorney, that Anwar is a young bright businessman, that Denys is a widely respect jurist, imagine from the outside you’re looking at this and saying, are we running a famili-opoly.”

Hon. Dean Barrow,
“Those who are looking at from the outside will no doubt be enlightened because of this interview and because of the material that will be readily available if they just dig a little deeper. It is a little bit of a misfortune that this should become anything of an issue but I am happy to confront it squarely and to say that I am absolutely comfortable with the decision I made, that even after the reflection triggered by the concerns that people have expressed, I know that it was a good move and that it will pay dividends in terms of the particular role that Anwar will exercise.”

Anuar Barrow was sworn in as a temporary senator for a single session on Tuesday in the absence of Pulcheria Teul.

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