At the top of the news - you saw Minister of State Mark King speaking plainly about the political realities of the meeting that the UDP Cabinet Subcommittee on Investment and its four southern standard bearers had with Norwegian Cruise Lines. It happened on Tuesday night at Independence Village High School - but the plan for the meeting was set in motion at a meeting of the UDP's National Party Council held last week Saturday. That's where the party's southern standard bearers complained that they were being kept in the dark about the details of the project, and being kept out of the loop on the job and contract opportunities for their supporters. So Minister Hulse was tasked to set up a sit down with Norwegian's Vice President of Destination and Strategic Development, Colin Murphy. Today via telephone Hulse told us that indeed there are unavoidable political realities:...
Jules Vasquez
"Was there any indication to NCL to say that well, here are the UDP caretakers or standard bearers, work with these guys - if you have something to turn on, these are the guys to bring it to - you channel it through these guys."
Hon. Godwin Hulse, Chair - Cabinet Subcommittee on Investment
"The statement to NCL was very clear, it was as long as its Belizeans get the job first. It doesn't matter which Belizean, but inform our people through a mechanism that these jobs would be coming up etc. etc., so our people can also get our supporters in the mix to apply etc. It is not to say to NCL that you have to employ - but that our people will also have an opportunity. It can't be that you have a UDP government that a UDP government is taking the heat because if you go to court with this challenge that is being brought by BTIA that government will take the heat - government will take all the noise, they have to do all the explanation and all the jobs are going to PUP supporters who will reap the benefit - it can't be. I mean we are in a political climate and that has to be understood. The responsibility is not on NCL to give the job. The responsibility is for NCL to advised everybody and let us know so that we could also have our people apply and our people put in for contracts and that sort of thing. Some people might say that we are getting bias and we are try to get jobs for our people. Let us be real here, we are in a real world, in a country, in a real political system - when the PUP people gets the job, if they were to get all the jobs they will give the credit to their representative. Their representatives when they win the government if they do win they will be the one benefiting. Our people have a right to say but Jesus Christ, how come we didn't even know? How nobody didn't fixed it up? How come nobody advises us? How nobody didn't tell us what this project is about - we are only hearing what is on the news. We have a right to know as well. Please give us some information."
Hulse said a mechanism has been put in place to keep the UDP Standard bearers in the loop.
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