VZCZCXRO4867
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHBE #0074 0421405
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111405Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY BELMOPAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1072
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BELMOPAN 000074 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA/CEN - ROIS BEAL, INR/B 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR BH
SUBJECT:  BIO -- BELIZE PRIME MINISTER DEAN BARROW 
 
REF:  07 BELMOPAN 0287 
 
¶1.  Dean Oliver Barrow was elected Prime Minister of Belize on 
February 7, 2008.  Following is his biography. 
 
Address as:  Mr. Prime Minister, Prime Minister Barrow 
 
Full Title:  The Honourable Dean Barrow 
 
DPOB:  March 2, 1951, Belize City 
 
¶2.  Education: 
Barrow received his Bachelor of Law degree from the University of 
the West Indies (1973) and his legal Education Certificate from 
Norman Manley Law School, Jamaica (1975).  He earned his Master of 
Law and Master of Arts in International Relations degrees from the 
University of Miami, Florida in 1982. 
 
¶3.  Career/Employment: 
He entered private practice in 1975 as an associate with Lindo's Law 
Firm and was admitted to Belize Bar in 1976.  In 1977, he became a 
partner of this firm.  He is considered to be one of Belize's most 
successful lawyers and has been involved in many prominent cases in 
Belize.  In 1989, Barrow left to become a partner at his own law 
firm, Barrow and Williams.  In May 2007, Barrow left his practice to 
focus on his political activities in preparation for the 2008 
general elections. 
 
¶4.  Political Affiliation/Work: 
Barrow has been involved in politics since at least 1976, when he 
became legal counsel to the United Democratic Party.  He was elected 
to the House of Representatives in December 1984, after his first 
electoral win in the Queen Square division.  Barrow has run in six 
elections and has never lost his Queen's Square division and has 
never moved out of this constituency.  During the period 1993-1998, 
he was called "Minister of Everything" because of his involvement in 
many of the UDP's activities. 
 
He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Economic Development 
from 1984 to 1989 and as Attorney General in 1986.  He was also 
Deputy Leader of the United Democratic Party in 1990 and served as 
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, National 
Security and Attorney General from 1993 to 1998.  Barrow has been 
the Leader of the United Democratic Party since September 1998. 
 
In the 2008 General Elections held February 7, 2008, the UDP won 25 
of the 31 seats in the House of Representative, making him Prime 
Minister Designate at this time.  It is expected that the 
Governor-General will officially swear Barrow in as the fourth Prime 
Minister of Belize sometime today, February 8.  Barrow has said that 
he will most likely announce his Cabinet on Tuesday, February 12. 
 
¶5.  Family: 
Barrow is the father of four children, including Jamaal "Shyne" 
Barrow, who was sentenced on June 1, 2001, to ten years in prison 
for his involvement in a December 27, 1999, nightclub shooting in 
New York which left three people wounded.  He is divorced from local 
attorney Lois Young, who is the mother of two of his children. 
Barrow is now in a common-law relationship with Ms. Kim Simplis, a 
founding member and director of Lifeline Foundation, a philanthropic 
charity which raises money to benefit children in need of assistance 
in the form of feeding programs, medical care, and educational 
materials.  He has one daughter with Ms. Simplis. 
 
¶6.  Other: 
Barrow speaks English and Spanish. 
 
A photo of Dean Barrow can be found at the UDP website -- 
udp.org.bz; or http://www. governmentofbelize. gov.bz legislative_ 
houseofrep.html  (without the spaces). 
 
HILL