BELIZE: CABINET RESHUFFLE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BELIZE 000341

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR WHA/CEN JASON MACK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR SNAR ECON EFIN EIND EPET BH
SUBJECT: BELIZE: CABINET RESHUFFLE

REF: A. 04 BELIZE 1041


B. 05 BELIZE 902

C. 06 BELIZE 289

D. 05 BELIZE 941

E. 06 BELIZE 211

F. 06 BELIZE 178

Classified By: Ambassador Robert J. Dieter for reason 1.5(B)

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SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS
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1. (C) In an effort to shore up his Government's diminished
popularity, Prime Minister Said Musa has re-shuffled his
Cabinet, reintegrating popular members of the ruling People's
United Party (PUP). Whether Musa can restore the PUP's
fortunes in time for the next national elections, which must
be held no later than June 2008, remains an open question.
In the wake of a series of financial scandals that have
eroded the Government's standing, a weary Belizean electorate
understands all too well that the inseparable tandem of Musa
and his powerful Minister of Home Affairs Ralph Fonseca
retains real power- regardless of the Cabinet's
configuration.
End Summary and Analysis.


2. (SBU) Following a long-anticipated realignment announced
on April 12, the Government of Belize's Cabinet now is as
follows:


1. Hon. Said Musa - Prime Minister, Minister of Finance

2. Hon. John Briceno - Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of
Natural Resources and the Environment

3. Hon. Eamon Courtenay - appointed Senator, Minister of
Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade

4. Hon. Ralph Fonseca - Minister of Home Affairs and Public
Utilities

5. Hon. Francis Fonseca - Attorney General, Minister of
Education, Minister of Labor

6. Hon. Michael Espat - Minister of Works

7. Hon. Godfrey Smith - Minister of Tourism, Information and
National Emergency Management (NEMO)

8. Hon. Cordel Hyde - Minister of Defence, Housing, Youth
and Sports

9. Hon. Mark Espat - Minister of National Development

10. Hon. Jose Coye - Minister of Health, Local Government,
Transport and Communications

11. Hon. Vildo Marin - Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries

12. Hon. Sylvia Flores - Minister of Human Development

Ministers of State:
Hon. Marcial Mes - Natural Resources
Hon. Servulo Baeza - Foreign Trade
Hon. Mario Castellanos - National Development with
responsibility for Rural Development
Hon. Ismael Cal - Home Affairs
Hon. Rodwell Ferguson - Education
Hon. Ainslie Leslie - Works

(Note: Ministers of State are not members of Cabinet, but may
attend Cabinet meetings at the invitation of the Prime
Minister.)

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Ruling PUP Reasserts Its More Popular Side
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3.(C) Since the PUP's poor showing in municipal elections of
March 1 (Ref E)-- openly acknowledged by PM Musa and senior
party officials to have been a "wake-up call" from a
disenchanted Belizean electorate-- a cabinet re-shuffle has
been widely anticipated. Shrewdly, Musa now has brought back
into the fold all of the rebellious PUP members from the
August, 2004, "Revolt of the Samurai" (reftels).
Conspicuously, Eamon Courtenay's appointment to the Senate
and assumption of duties as Minister of Foreign Affairs and
Foreign Trade puts one of the country's most capable figures,
and an expert on trade matters, back in a high-profile
portfolio. This comes in addition to Courtenay's recent
designation as Chairman of the Petroleum Advisory Board (Ref
F)(note: post will provide updated biographic info septel).

4.(C) The PM also adroitly has brought in members of the
powerful PUP "northern coalition"-- Servulo Baeza, Mario
Castellanos, and Ismael Cal-- as Ministers of State.
Conversely, Godfrey Smith, who recently has suffered from
allegations of corruption in connection with the Belize
Intellectual Property Office (BELIPO) scandal (refs B,C),has
lost the Foreign Affairs portfolio while retaining Tourim,
Information, and NEMO (National Emergency Management Office).
Over recent weeks, the PUP has orchestrated something of a
media campaign highlighting the accomplishments of Minister
of National Development Mark Espat, the popular former
Samurai who had contemplated launching a third party but
subsequently returned to the PUP fold.

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Musa-Fonseca Tandem Retains Control
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5.(C) In many respects, the most recent re-shuffle is the
inverse of the December, 2004 Cabinet shake-up (Reftel A):
then, PM Musa divided rebellious "Samurai" ministers, ousted
party opponents, and took direct control of the Finance and
Defense portfolios; now, he has completed an adroit
reconciliation with party dissidents in an effort to shore up
the PUP's diminished popularity. Whether this strategy can
restore the party's fortunes in time for the next national
elections, which must be held no later than June 2008,
remains an open question. In the wake of a series of
financial scandals that have eroded the Government's standing
(reftels),a weary Belizean electorate understands all too
well that the inseparable tandem of PM Musa and his powerful
Minister of Home Affairs Ralph Fonseca retains real power -
regardless of the Cabinet's configuration.
DIETER