Said Wilbert Musa(/sɑːˈiːdˈmuːsɑː/,born 19 March 1944) is aBelizeanlawyer and politician. He was the thirdprime minister of Belizefrom 28 August 1998 to 8 February 2008.[1]
Said Wilbert Musa | |
|---|---|
 Said Musa in 2007 | |
| 3rdPrime Minister of Belize | |
| In office 28 August 1998 – 8 February 2008 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor‑General | Colville Young |
| Deputy | Johnny Briceño Juan Vildo Marin |
| Preceded by | Manuel Esquivel |
| Succeeded by | Dean Barrow |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 8 February 2008 – 30 March 2008 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor‑General | Colville Young |
| Prime Minister | Dean Barrow |
| Preceded by | Dean Barrow |
| Succeeded by | Johnny Briceño |
| In office 10 November 1996 – 30 August 1998 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor‑General | Colville Young |
| Prime Minister | Manuel Esquivel |
| Preceded by | George Cadle Price |
| Succeeded by | Dean Barrow |
| Member of theBelize House of RepresentativesforFort George | |
| In office 4 September 1989 – 12 November 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Dean Lindo |
| Succeeded by | Henry Usher |
| In office 21 November 1979 – 14 December 1984 | |
| Preceded by | Dean Lindo |
| Succeeded by | Dean Lindo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 March 1944 San Ignacio,British Honduras (nowBelize) |
| Political party | People's United Party |
| Spouse | Joan Musa |
| Residence(s) | Belize City,Belize |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Early life and education
editThis section of abiography of a living persondoes notincludeanyreferences or sources.(December 2022) |
Said Wilbert Musa was born in 1944 inSan Ignacioin theCayo Districtof what was thenBritish Honduras.He was the fourth of eight children by Aurora Musa, née Gibbs, and Hamid Musa, aPalestinianimmigrant fromAl-Bireh.Hamid Musa was also involved in politics, running for the British Honduras Legislative Assembly as aNational Partycandidate in the1957 general elections.[2][3]
As a boy, Musa attended Saint Andrew's Primary School in San Ignacio. He then attended high school at St Michael's College in Belize City and laterSt John's College Sixth Form.While living in Belize City, Said Musa aided his parents by sellingtamalesand other Belizean delicacies. After completing secondary school he then studied law at theUniversity of Manchesterin England, receiving an Honours Degree in Law in 1966, and then qualified as a barrister atGray's Inn.He returned to Belize the following year, serving as crown counsel and then going into private practice. Said Musa has significantly contributed to law in Belize by representing thousands of underprivileged and poor individuals who come into contact with the law.
Political career
editMusa first came to notoriety in the late 1960s when he co-founded the Ad Hoc Committee for the Truth About Vietnam withAssad Shomanto protest theVietnam Warin British Honduras. On 1 January 1969 the group protested a showing of the American filmThe Green Beretsin Belize City, which it characterized as pro-war propaganda.[4]
Musa joined thePeople's United Party(PUP) underGeorge Cadle Pricein 1970. He soon became a leader of the party'ssocialistwing in 1974. He ran for theBelize House of Representativesfor the first time in 1974 in the easternBelize City-basedFort Georgeconstituency, but was narrowly defeated byUnited Democratic Partyand Opposition LeaderDean Lindoby 46 votes. Musa was appointed to theBelize Senatefor the ensuing term, until 1979.[5]
Musa was successful in thenext general election,held in 1979, winning the Fort George seat and defeating Lindo by a margin of 71 votes.[6]Musa served as Attorney General and Minister for Economic Development in the 1979–1984 Price-led government. Musa also served on the committee that wrote the 1981Constitution of Belize.
Musa defended Belize's large national debt, mostly incurred in the 1980s, by sayingKeynesian economicswas being used: "The economy was in a deep recession, the country was broke (due to hurricanes) therefore it had to get the private sector moving again. The country started a major expansionary program... to pay for the program we took on a lot of debt."[7]
In the1984 election,Musa was defeated for re-election by Lindo, losing by a margin of 57 votes this time. He regained the Fort George seat in the1989 election,defeating Lindo again by 449 votes. He has won the Fort Georgeconstituencyin every election since.[6]Under Price, Musa wasMinister of Foreign Affairsand Education from 1989 to 1993.
As of July 2016 Musa has contested 10 consecutive general elections in Fort George and has continuously served as his party'sstandard bearerin the same constituency for over 40 years, longer than anyone else in Belizean history. (Price was a standard bearer for 49 years, but in three different constituencies). He also trails only Price andPhilip Goldsonin total time served in the Belize House. Musa is the only current Area Representative to serve in the Belize House before the country's full independence fromGreat Britainin September 1981.
Leader of the People's United Party and Prime Minister of Belize
editMusa was elected and took over leadership of the PUP upon Price's retirement from party leadership in 1996, defeating Price's longtime lieutenantFlorencio Marinin the leadership election in 1996.[8]Musa then led the PUP to landslideelectionvictories in1998and2003.
Musa led Belize to significant growth over his near-decade long term in office, but his popularity declined during his last years in office due in part to increasing public perception of corruption among his Cabinet and within his party.[9][10]He was also accused of abandoning his previous socialist stances in favour ofneoliberalpolicies as prime minister.[11]
Outside of Belize Musa chaired several regional organisations, includingCARICOMand theCentral American Integration System(SICA).
Musa again led the PUP in theelectionheld on 7 February 2008, but the PUP suffered a severe defeat at the hands of the UDP, led byDean Barrowwinning only six out of 31 seats.[12]Musa himself was re-elected in the Fort George constituency.[6][13]UDP leaderDean Barrowsucceeded Musa and was sworn in as 4th prime minister of Belize byGovernor-General of Belize,Colville Youngon 8 February 2008.[12]
Post-leadership
editOn the day of the 2008 election, Musa stated it would be his last election as PUP leader.[6][14]After the PUP's defeat, he congratulated Barrow. He considered the opposition's focus on allegations of corruption and negativity from the media to be primary factors in the defeat.[14]
On 13 February 2008, Musa announced that he was stepping down as party leader[6][15]so that the PUP could "renew itself from the top."[15]The PUP held a convention on 30 March 2008 to select his successor, andJohnny Briceñowas elected as PUP leader againstFrancis Fonseca.[16]
A leadership election was held in October 2011 again where,Francis Fonsecadefeated Briceno. Briceño was replaced byFrancis Fonsecain October 2011.Five months laterthe Fonseca-led PUP suffered a narrow defeat to the UDP, winning 14 of 31 seats in theBelize House of Representatives.Musa was comfortably re-elected in his Fort George constituency and remains the senior member and shadowSenior Ministerof the PUP caucus and in theShadow Cabinetwhich was formed first in 2012 and then again in 2015. The currentShadow CabinetofFrancis Fonsecawill be dissolved before theNext Belizean general electionwhich is scheduled for 13 February 2020.
2015 and beyond
editIn 2015 the 71-year-old Musa was the subject of rumours of possible retirement from public life due to health concerns and a perceived negative impact on future PUP electoral prospects nationwide. However, Musa dismissed the rumours and stated his retirement from the Belize House was not imminent. In March 2015 Musa toldTropical Vision Limitedthat he would "more than likely" run for an eighth and final term in the2015 election,which he won.[17][18]
Although eligible to stand in an 11th consecutive general election, Musa stood down at the2020 Belizean general election.The PUP nominated his son Henry Charles Usher to stand in his place in Fort George Constituency. He won the seat in the election.
Family
editMusa is married to Joan Musa.[19]His son,Yasser Musa,is an artist, teacher, poet and entertainer in Belize and headed its arts council, the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) under the PUP administration in addition to serving as chief of public relations for the PUP. Another son, Kareem, recently returned to Belize with a law degree and has taken on a number of prominent cases recently.
In what was considered an upset,Kareem Musadefeated Belize City mayor and UDP nomineeDarrell Bradleyfor the House seat in theCaribbean Shoresconstituency in the November 2015 election, becoming the first Belizean area representative to simultaneously serve with his father.[20]
Musa and his wife Joan also have three other sons, Mark Musa (a doctor), Said Musa Jr and David Musa. He also has seven children outside his marriage.[citation needed]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Said Musa: PM of Belize".Encyclopedia Britannica.Retrieved19 July2024.
- ^"Election Results 1957".Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission.Archived fromthe originalon 5 March 2016.Retrieved19 November2014.
- ^Guttman, Nathan (1 October 2001)."From El Bireh to Belize".Haaretz.Retrieved19 July2024.
- ^Hyde, Evan X(24 October 2008)."From The Publisher".Amandala.Retrieved19 July2024.
- ^Hyde, Evan X (4 March 2014)."From The Publisher".Amandala.Retrieved19 July2024.
- ^abcdeRamos, Adele (15 February 2008)."Musa and Ralph step down – PUP D-day March 30!".Amandala Online.Archived fromthe originalon 8 February 2012.
- ^Rosenberg, Mica (7 August 2006)."Belize promises market-friendly debt restructuring".Kitkatta.net.Reuters. Archived fromthe originalon 8 July 2008.Retrieved26 January2009.
- ^"Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price – a legend".Krem Radio.24 September 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 18 November 2018.Retrieved9 October2014.
- ^Labelle, Hugette (25 September 2007)."Persistent corruption in low-income countries requires global action".Transparency International.Archived fromthe originalon 23 July 2014.Retrieved20 June2016.
Countries with a significant worsening in perceived levels of corruption in 2007 include Austria, Bahrain, Belize...
- ^"People's National Party to contest election in 2008".News 5.12 February 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 17 August 2016.Retrieved20 June2016.
Of note is the fact that all three third parties are running on a platform of anti-corruption.
- ^Hyde, Evan X (11 December 2012)."From The Publisher".Amandala.Retrieved19 July2024.
- ^ab"Belize's opposition party wins landslide in congressional elections".International Herald Tribune.Associated Press. 9 February 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 3 June 2008.
- ^"CONFIRMED WINNERS".Amandala Online.8 February 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 22 May 2011.
- ^abRamos, Adele (12 February 2008)."Said Musa's post-mortem of general elections 2008".Amandala Online.Archived fromthe originalon 8 February 2012.
- ^ab"Former Belize prime minister steps down as party leader".Caribbean Net News.14 February 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 23 April 2008.
- ^"Johnny stuns Francis in 'Pan!".Amandala Online.1 April 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 22 May 2011.
- ^"Rt. Hon. Musa Won't Retire Anytime Soon".Tropical Vision Limited.7 May 2015.Retrieved19 July2024.
- ^"Rt. Hon Musa & Hon. Finnegan, Ready For The Road, But Not Ready To Retire".Tropical Vision Limited.6 March 2015.Retrieved19 July2024.
- ^"House of former Prime Minister, Said Musa, riddled with bullets".News 5.16 January 2013. Archived fromthe originalon 20 January 2013.
- ^"Standard Bearers".People's United Party.Archived fromthe originalon 9 April 2014.Retrieved27 December2014.