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At 3 years and eight months, it's the earliest into a term that any government of Belize has ever called general elections, and yesterday evening in Belmopan, the press grilled the PM for a clear answer on why so early. Here's more from that exchange:

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"I hate to put it like this, but to some extent, the fact that this was an election season, was a distraction and if we had prolong it, if we had extended it, a great deal beyond today's date, it would have meant that that distraction would have been compounded. We are confident that this is the time to go and we are confident that people will re-elect us."

As you heard last night, Opposition Leader Francis Fonseca told us that the reason he suspects that the Prime Minister is calling early elections is because he is trying to head off the political fall out from some of his Government's recent decisions. So is that the reason? The Prime Minister was asked yesterday if he is trying to get re-elected before the Caribbean Court of Justice judgments on the BTL and BEL Nationalizations are delivered. He bristled at that suggestion:

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Who tells you that the decision would be between October and November? Sir, as far as I can tell you are not going to get a decision for well over a year. So that was not feature in our thinking at all. Look I don't want to sound at all dismissive of the opposition. I don't want to sound cocky. I don't want to sound over confident. Of course in any campaign stones will be flung, allegations will be made. There will be an effort to make some issue develop legs. But I am completely satisfied that the bigger picture which is the tremendous record of achievement that's there for all to see when it comes to the UDP, that that is what is going to prevail and so I have no doubt that the UDP is going to do extremely well and I repeat confident that the people of this country are absolutely ready to re-elect the United Democratic Party. Let us be absolutely clear, the timing of our general elections has to do with our local circumstances. There is no external element of consideration that figure in that time."

What role with Lord Michael Ashcroft play in the outcome of these elections - given that he has been a finance game changer in Belizean politics in the past. We asked the Prime Minister his funding the Opposition is a concern, in the wake of the BTL settlement - which should leave Lo9rd Ashcroft with ample reserves to wage political warfare. Here's what the PM had to say:

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"I don't know who is going to be contributing what to whom and all I will say is that we are focused on winning these elections. We are satisfied that we have enough wherewithal, enough resources to mount the kid of campaign that we need to and we are convinced that ultimately the winner of these elections is going to be the party that the people of this country believe will do or continue to do the best job for our nation. While money cannot be discounted, ultimately if people are with you - once Belizeans have made up their minds and I think they are going to do so on the basis of sound and sober judgement. No money can cause the election to go other than the way it should."

Reporter
"The other side of that, the BCWU seems to suggest that you may have accepted some monies from Ashcroft in terms of campaign financing."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"In the past or you mean now currently?"

Reporter
"During the meeting."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"I completely dismissed that."