Dean Barrow

Dean Oliver Barrow (born March 2, 1951) is a Belizean attorney by trade and politician and the leader of the United Democratic Party. He served as foreign minister from 1993-1998 and is currently Belize's leader of the opposition. He has five children, the oldest of whom is rapper Jamal "Shyne" Barrow born November 8, 1978.

Political career

In 1983 Barrow entered electoral politics as a candidate for Belize City Council elections in December of 1983, which he won. He then participated in general elections of December 1984 as a candidate for the Queen's Square electoral division against, ironically, current fellow MP Ralph Fonseca. Barrow defeated Fonseca handily and was nominated to Cabinet as Attorney General and Minister of Foreign Affairs in addition to being Prime Minister Manuel Esquivel's deputy. In the 1989 general election, Barrow defeated Thomas Greenwood but his party lost the election. Barrow continued as Deputy Party Leader to Manuel Esquivel and in his law practice. In 1993, Barrow won his third straight general election, over Juliet Soberanis, and returned to Cabinet in the posts he held from the previous administration in addition to Minister of National Security. His detractors called him "Minister of Everything" during this period because he appeared at most major functions on behalf of the UDP government. After the 1998 elections loss in which he was one of only three representatives who retained a seat for the UDP, Barrow was elevated to Party Leader and Leader of the Opposition, replacing Manuel Esquivel. Barrow has presided over the smallest Oppositions (3 and 7 respectively) in the House of Representatives since 1974 and ever in the UDP's history. His main job is to offer criticism of Government policy. Barrow has won his last two elections by close margins over fellow attorney Richard "Dickie" Bradley and is favored to win more comfortably in 2008.

Legal career

Dean Barrow, a senior counsel, is also considered one of Belize's more successful attorneys and has appeared in several high profile cases. He is senior partner in the local law firm Barrow and Williams (with Rodwell Williams), and frequently appears in court to argue sensitive cases. Among his more controversial clients is Lord Michael Ashcroft and the business he is in charge of, particularly the Belize Bank and BTL.