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Another Politician Secretly Recorded, This Time It’s UDP Melvin Hulse Backtalking PM Barrow
posted (June 22, 2015)
Secret recordings of politicians - in March, one with the PUP's John Briceno became all the buzz - and tonight there is another, this time it's the UDP's Melvin Hulse. The Standard Bearer for Stann Creek West caught on a recording saying all kinds of bad stuff about his party, mainly his party leader Dean Barrow. Now, first off, just like the Briceno tape - we cannot air all of it - because it makes libelous and unsubstantiated allegations of misconduct against public officials - in this case, the Prime Minister. They claims are libelous because they allege improper behavior, and offer no proof to back it up. And today, the Prime Minister's office sent a statement making it clear that he would sue whoever broadcast those comments alleging impropriety.

We'll get to that shortly - but first to the recording: it's an edited 12 minutes of political chatter by Hulse, released by the PUP to coincide with nomination day in Dangriga. In it, Hulse speaks mostly disparagingly about the political decisions made by his party leader - principally concerning the July bye - election in Dangriga which Hulse says the Prime Minister is pushing for no good reason:...

Melvin Hulse
"But Dean is trying to push it. He didn't even consult. Papa doesn't run in nothing. Dean is dictating. It's he who sets the time. He is calling it right away. Patrick, Audrey, all of them are running things."

"Spending over 2 million on a bi election gets you nowhere. It doesn't achieve anything, because you call elections in 3 months everybody and to go right back again. But, to call a bi election, PUP won't spend any money, I don't know why the UDP is talking stupidness about PUP. I will beat you at everything. PUP won't spend any money on a by-election, they won't spend money on a Town council, for what? The Government doesn't change. They are not wasting any money on these things, none."

"It's just to say "well I beat the PUP and I have money know and I could spend money and I could outspend them and I could beat them." Nobody's ready, Pawpa doesn't have money to do anything. I've noticed that in my lifetime. You don't cut off your nose to spite your face. It's not always the time to go and... what you have to prove, but you could win a bi election if you have more money? I disagree when he did it with Omar. Why are you spending good money? You aren't helping the UDP."

"The only, only thing important to Dean Barrow is for him to go down in the history book as the only Prime Minister to win 3 terms back to back. That is the only thing important to him. Not loyalty to friends our country or anything. He wants to be in the history books as the only person to ever win 3 times back to back. And he says it in every speech. He says it every opportunity he gets. He said it again Sunday. Because he's beginning to sound more and more arrogant. It is beginning to sound... it making it sound they can't stop me, we are unstoppable. You don't tell people that. That's what he said again Sunday at the endorsement. That's the worst thing to tell a Belizean. "You can't do this, and you can't stop we" Not us Belizeans, we too ornery for this mah bwai, we noh like being pushed."

"Just shut up little bit, Christ man. Just shut up li bit and let the good things talk for themselves and convince people. Stop with the Bashment of PUP and arrogance of how Powerful, strong and unstoppable the UDP are."

So, he called his boss arrogant, among other things - and what does the Prime Minister have to say about it? Well, today the Prime Minister's office issued a statement referring principally to the libelous parts, the parts we can't air, saying, quote, "Melvin Hulse…engaged in the spreading of what is a very serious piece of falsehood, a very serious lie that grossly libels me….He will have to explain this to the public, the Party and his constituents, and he will have to apologize to me. He will also have to suffer the consequences, both political and legal, for his actions." End quote. Today in Dangriga, we asked the Prime Minister if he has talked to Hulse privately about his remarks:..

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"I spoke with Melvin on Saturday because I was told of a recording on Saturday. I haven't heard it. I still have not heard it. All I will say is that I indicated to Melvin that he will need to explain to the public and to the media what on earth he was thinking of and how he could engage in the retail of what Hon. Ramos so memorable called "idle talk." But, because a lot of what he said if fluff - he has opinions that he has expressed and that's fine. We could live with that. And when he talks about my being arrogant and I wanting to go down in history as the only person to have won 3 consecutive terms - he is entitled to that sort of opinion and that would have been fine, except for the libel. I can't say I dare not speak its name... but the libel which I will not repeat, merely because I have to protect myself and I have to conserve my options in terms of legal actions. Were it not for that it would have been fine. It would have been a matter that I would easily have forgiven and forgotten, but you can't utter that sort of an absolutely abominable libel, which reflects on my character, my reputation, something that I guard jealously. So, I believe that after we've heard from Mr. Hulse after the public has heard from Mr. Hulse or if he doesn't speak very shortly. In any event, the party would have to take a decision as to Mr. Hulse's future in the UDP."

Jules Vasquez
"Will you sue? You indicated in a press release and if you sue media houses, then you have to sue Mr. Hulse."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Not at all. I don't want to sue anybody. I believe that my reputation is such that nobody will in fact lend any credibility to Melvin's scuttlebutt and so I am hoping that it doesn't reach the point where I have to sue anybody at all."

Jules Vasquez
"But people may lend some credibility to it, because what Mr. Ramos did, for example is forgive counterintuitive, in so far as he is having financial difficulties, but the job that pays him at least 36,000 a year, he'll walk away from. Might it not be that someone acting on behalf of the interest of the UDP, made an arrangement with him to have a golden hand shake when he lands."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"I don't think so, but you would have to ask Mr. Ramos."

Jules Vasquez
"I have and he denies it."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"You see and he ought to know. Have you asked Mr. Mahmud? He ought to know."

Jules Vasquez
"He made himself unavailable."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"The thing is Jules, that we know that people with blood coursing through their veins can sometimes react in an extreme fashion when they feel that they've been badly treated. When they feel that they have been insulted. When they feel that they have been cast aside. It is my sense that in both cases, that is what happened."

"You see it's a peculiar situation, because it is a matter of public interest, but everybody must realize, Melvin Hulse is not part of any kind of inner circle of the UDP. It is clear that he is retaining what is speculation and gossip. But he does so as though he knows and that really can't be countenance. But I think while I... I don't want to offer any license to the media. I think your station said they will take legal advice. Perhaps that's the best thing to do and then the media will decide how to proceed. For those that have already proceeded in a fashion like PlusTV, who obviously couldn't contained themselves, I will sue PlusTV."

Reporter
"Can it be expected that he will be removed as standard bearer?"

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Anything can be expected. This is politics and we know in politics anything can be expected."

Later on we'll have comments from former PUP Prime Minister Said Musa and UDP Ground Commander Anthony Martinez about what they think will happen to Hulse - who we could not reach by phone for comment.

But, back to the PM's remark that he will sue PLUS TV. The statement says, quote, "no one should feel free to repeat Hulse's libel just because it originated with a UDP candidate….I will do all that is necessary to guard the good reputation that I have gathered over the long years I have been in politics and public life."

Well, PLUS TV says they did no damage to that. They say they consulted their lawyer and did not air the libelous sections of Hulse's remarks.

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