Opposition Leader Accuses Government of Hypocrisy in Crackdown on Contraband

The Leader of the Opposition Moses Shyne Barrow says the government’s attempt to crack down on contraband reeks of hypocrisy. Recently, GOB established a Vegetable Interdiction Team, whose task is to fight contraband involving agricultural products. Barrow weighed in on the move and called out the government for what he views as double standards. 

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition: “When our government had stopped people from being able to traffic the contraband and this government said “no man, leave them alone.” Now they have vegetable police.”

Reporter:  VIP.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition: “Yes, confiscating – that’s what I’m saying, the hypocrisy of this government. Make up your mind I thought “oh leave the contraband this that leave them to find their way because you know they have to eat.” Now they are to protect the special interests that are monopolizing the permits for the vegetables now they have vegetable police. We need police for these obscene food prices. When is that going to go into implementation? So a waste of the government resources. You see that the sugar industry, the BSI got a victory in court, shows that the regulations that the minister tried to implement were illegal, unconstitutional as we had said as the opposition. So I’m happy to see our judiciary making those pronouncements to protect against the type of abuse that the minister was trying to implement, inflict.”

The VIT is comprised of personnel from the Ministry of Agriculture, Customs Department, BAHA, the Belize Marketing and Development Corporation, and the Mobile Interdiction Team of the police department.