Belize Opposition Leader compares British Monarchy to Hitler and Nazis

The Leader of the Opposition, Moses “Shyne” Barrow, says the British Monarchy is comparable to Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. In recent weeks, prior to the Coronation of King Charles III, there has been a debate in the public sphere over whether Belize should move away from the British Monarchy to become a republic. Barrow says that in his discussion with the People’s Constitution Commission, he explored the possibility of a referendum being held to decide whether the monarchy should be removed as Belize’s head of state. According to Barrow, there is no good reason why the country should keep its status as a member of the British monarchy.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition: “People feel strongly about it on both sides. As I said we are discussing the matter and the majority consensus is you know what ? We don’t care about that right now man we care about lack of employment, lack of opportunities, crime, healthcare, cost of living, That is the focus but nobody when I put it said listen to any of you disagree that the monarch should be removed nobody said “I disagree”. There were some people that had the issue of well would there be ramifications if you remove the monarch now on the ICJ issue? Absolutely not. If Britain would have paid the 50,000 pounds that they should have paid in the treaty we wouldn’t have this ICJ issue. There is in my view I don’t know what sum Britain is paying for our lawyers again I don’t know, we have more bilateral relations with Guatemala and the United States and Taiwan and other nations than we do with Britain. I am not anti-Britain, I am not against developing stronger bilateral relations with Prime Minister Rishi and whoever is the government of Britain so I don’t want to be misinterpreted but for me personally the monarch is the equivalent of Hitler. What Adolf Hitler did to the Jews in the Nazi training camps is no different than what slave owners did all throughout the Caribbean and the Americas that is my opinion and everyone can atone, everyone can repent, I have still not gotten the reparations, repertory justice, that is the discussion we should be having and we should be moving into a different relationship with Britain as a part of the commonwealth.” 

Barrow also criticized what he says has been a lack of support from the British Government. Barrow says he believes the government should have moved away from the monarchy a long time ago.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition: “The idea that removing the monarch, the British monarch as our head of state would have some type of negative impact is absolute untruth, absolute myth, absolute propaganda. As it stands we have absolutely no written or verbal agreement with the British government because the British monarch is powerless that is merely a ceremonial exercise. It is Prime Minister Rishi and his cabinet and the house of representatives the parliament in Britain that makes the decisions. That is a part of their history and I understand why they keep that ceremonial activity going but as far as Belize is concerned we have never and at this day and age do not have any agreement from the British government for any type of military guarantee or military protection. We have more I think more U.S. troops in this country than we do – or not troops but I would say military personnel from the United States than we do the British. So when you say ill will or fallout I do not believe that this would in any way impact our bilateral relations with the British government. We are still a part of the Commonwealth, I would encourage that we remain a part of the Commonwealth of nations but there is absolutely no necessity for the King of England to remain as our head of state.”