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Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"Well I think they are exercising their rights as citizens and I would leave it there. I need to say that our party will soon start to announce the invitation for applications for standard bearer for the Cayo Northeast constituency and of course Hon. Penner - he is not going to be able to contest that convention and I don't think he is interested, but we will very shortly then have a properly elected declared standard bearer in Cayo Northeast and the continuing effort to hang Penner around the necks of the United Democratic Party will hopefully have to be rethought once that development occurs."

Now the thing about a private prosecution is that the accuser must have first-hand knowledge and evidence of the crime. Sections 19 and 21 of the summary jurisdictions act says that anyone launching such an action must have the statement of the offence along with the accompanying documents relating to the offence. That's why the PUP balked at it, even though they have a slew of attorneys right in their own party. But COLA is rushing in where even a mass party dared to thread. As they freely admitted, they don't have the requisite documents. So will government help them get it? Here's what the Prime Minister said about that today:..

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"Whatever people want to access under the freedom of information act which is quite clear about what you are able to access. If they feel that the government is not being fair then they must employ the freedom of information act indeed to try and advance their cause."

Aaron Humes, Reporter
"I take it that the administration will not in any way attempt to stand in the way of this matter going through."

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"No man, we can't, it's a private persecution, they will handle their candle and we will see what we will see."

We'll have much more from the Prime Minister later as government is putting millions into Belize city hall to launch phase two of the infrastructure upgrade project.