Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wa ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, ...

Dean Barrow Dean Oliver Barrow, SC PC (born March 2, 1951) is a politician from Belize who served as prime minister of Belize from 2008 until 2020 and as leader of Belize's United Democratic Party. An attorney by profession, Barrow served as Belize's ...

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

Belize City Belize City is the largest city in Belize and was once the capital of the former British Honduras. According to the 2010 census, Belize City has a population of 57,169 people in 16,162 households. It is at the mouth of the Haulover Creek, wh ...

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

Said Musa Said Wilbert Musa (, born 19 March 1944) is a Belizean lawyer and politician. He was the Prime Minister of Belize from 28 August 1998 to 8 February 2008. Early life and education Said Wilbert Musa was born in 1944 in San Ignacio in the Cayo D ...

United Black Association for Development United Black Association for Development (UBAD) was a cultural and political party established in Belize in February 1969 and based on traditional Black Power tenets. Background The nation of Belize (or, as it was then called, British Hondura ...

Evan X Hyde Evan Anthony Hyde (better known as Evan X Hyde; born 30 April 1947) is a Belizean writer, journalist, media executive and former politician. He publishes and writes for the nation's largest newspaper, '' Amandala'', and oversees its subsidiaries ...

Dean Lindo Dean Russel Lindo (4 September 1932 – 17 September 2018) was a Belizean attorney and politician. He was one of the principal founders of the United Democratic Party in 1973 and served as its first leader from 1974 to 1979. Hyde, Evan X
"From The Publisher"
''

Amandala ''Amandala'' is a Belizean tabloid newspaper. Published twice weekly, it is Belize's largest newspaper. ''Amandala'' was established in 1969 as the print organ of the now-defunct United Black Association for Development (UBAD), but has been polit ...

'', 24 October 2008. (accessed 10 May 2015) Finnegan was first elected to office in

1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peacefu ...

, when he became a member of the

Belize House of Representatives The House of Representatives of Belize is one of two chambers of the National Assembly, the other being the Senate. It was created under the 1981 constitution. Members are commonly called "Area Representatives." Area Representatives are elect ...

from the Mesopotamia

constituency An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other poli ...

, a safe UDP seat in Belize City.General Elections 1993

Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission The Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission is the primary electoral body in Belize. It supervises all local and national elections. The commission also establishes the boundaries of Belize's electoral divisions. Formation and duties The EBC w ...

. (accessed 19 November 2014) Finnegan was one of only two UDP House members re-elected in

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...

(

Dean Barrow Dean Oliver Barrow, SC PC (born March 2, 1951) is a politician from Belize who served as prime minister of Belize from 2008 until 2020 and as leader of Belize's United Democratic Party. An attorney by profession, Barrow served as Belize's ...

, a future Prime Minister, was the other); they were two of three successful UDP candidates nationwide.General Elections 1998

Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission The Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission is the primary electoral body in Belize. It supervises all local and national elections. The commission also establishes the boundaries of Belize's electoral divisions. Formation and duties The EBC w ...

. (accessed 19 November 2014) Until his 2020 retirement, Finnegan was re-elected with at least 60 percent of the vote in every ensuing election. In the Belize House, Finnegan was noted for his lively, uncensored debate style as well as his liberal use of

Belizean Creole Belizean Creole (Belizean Creole: ''Belize Kriol'', ''Kriol'') is an English-based creole language spoken by the Belizean Creole people. It is closely related to Miskito Coastal Creole, San Andrés-Providencia Creole, and Jamaican Patois ( Lim ...

."Finnegan gets nasty with Dolores in the House"

Great Belize Television Great Belize Television, or as it is locally known, Channel 5, is a Belize City-based local television station established in December 1991. Channel 5 airs mostly American and Caribbean programs, as well as a variety of locally produced programs. ...

, 8 August 2013. (accessed 9 May 2015) Finnegan declined to be a candidate in the

2020 Belizean general election General elections were held in Belize on 11 November 2020 to elect the 31 members of the House of Representatives. Nomination day was 21 October. The People's United Party achieved its first national election victory since 2003, winning 26 seats ...

. The UDP nominated his nephew,

Shyne Barrow Moses Michael Levi Barrow (born Jamal Michael Barrow, best known by his stage name Shyne; November 8, 1978) is a Belizean rapper and politician.

, to succeed him in the Mesopotamia constituency, which is widely considered a UDP safe seat."Shyne For Mesop? Mike P For Queen's Square?"
''

Tropical Vision Limited Tropical Vision Limited, or as it is locally known, Channel 7, is a Belize City based television station operating since 1981. Its Managing Director is Nestor Vasquez. Programming Channel 7 airs a mix of American and Belizean programmes. 7 N ...

'', 13 March 2017. (accessed 21 May 2017)"Standard Bearers - United Democratic Party"
'' United Democratic Party'', (accessed 19 February 2020) Barrow was elected with 53% of the vote.

Health

There had been speculation that an ailing Finnegan would stand down at the 2015 general election. In March 2015 Finnegan told

Tropical Vision Limited Tropical Vision Limited, or as it is locally known, Channel 7, is a Belize City based television station operating since 1981. Its Managing Director is Nestor Vasquez. Programming Channel 7 airs a mix of American and Belizean programmes. 7 N ...

that he was "worn" and considering retirement. However, in September 2015, Finnegan confirmed he was running for re-election."Hon. Finnegan Gets A Jump On Competition"

Tropical Vision Limited Tropical Vision Limited, or as it is locally known, Channel 7, is a Belize City based television station operating since 1981. Its Managing Director is Nestor Vasquez. Programming Channel 7 airs a mix of American and Belizean programmes. 7 N ...

, 28 September 2015. (accessed 29 September 2015) Former Belize City Mayor Zenaida Moya may seek to succeed Finnegan in Mesopotamia should he stand down in the future."Finnegan Defends Use of G.O.B. Vehicle in U.D.P. Parade"

Great Belize Television Great Belize Television, or as it is locally known, Channel 5, is a Belize City-based local television station established in December 1991. Channel 5 airs mostly American and Caribbean programs, as well as a variety of locally produced programs. ...

, 12 February 2015. (accessed 9 May 2015)"Rt. Hon Musa & Hon. Finnegan, Ready For The Road, But Not Ready To Retire"

Tropical Vision Limited Tropical Vision Limited, or as it is locally known, Channel 7, is a Belize City based television station operating since 1981. Its Managing Director is Nestor Vasquez. Programming Channel 7 airs a mix of American and Belizean programmes. 7 N ...

, 6 March 2015 (accessed 9 May 2015) Finnegan was successfully treated for

prostate cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that su ...

in 2010."Healthy Living and Michael Finnegan talk Cancer"

Great Belize Television Great Belize Television, or as it is locally known, Channel 5, is a Belize City-based local television station established in December 1991. Channel 5 airs mostly American and Caribbean programs, as well as a variety of locally produced programs. ...

, 17 May 2012. (accessed 9 May 2015) He underwent spinal surgery in the United States in 2014."Finnegan back in Belize following spinal surgery"

Great Belize Television Great Belize Television, or as it is locally known, Channel 5, is a Belize City-based local television station established in December 1991. Channel 5 airs mostly American and Caribbean programs, as well as a variety of locally produced programs. ...

, 27 February 2014. (accessed 9 May 2015)

Family

Finnegan's sister Frances Imeon Myvett is the mother of rapper Shyne (then known as Jamal Michael Barrow). Finnegan's friend Dean Barrow is Jamal's father. Finnegan raised Jamal from the age of three to eight, after the boy's mother Frances had immigrated to New York City for work. The boy joined her there, and they lived in Brooklyn, where he later started his music career. Shyne was convicted of assault in a 1999 nightclub shooting in New York City, and the rapper served a nine-year sentence in prison. Afterward the United States deported him to his birthplace of Belize, as he had never become a

naturalized citizen Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen of a country may acquire citizenship or nationality of that country. It may be done automatically by a statute, i.e., without any effort on the part of the in ...

. He has since changed his name to Moses Michael Levi Barrow. He was elected to the Belize House of Representatives with the center-right Belize United Democratic Party in the Belize City-based

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the ...

constituency in the

2020 Belizean general election General elections were held in Belize on 11 November 2020 to elect the 31 members of the House of Representatives. Nomination day was 21 October. The People's United Party achieved its first national election victory since 2003, winning 26 seats ...

."Standard Bearers – United Democratic Party"
'' Belize United Democratic Party'', (accessed February 19, 2020) He was subsequently also appointed the Opposition Leader in the House of Representatives and the leader of the Belize United Democratic Party, in both June 2021 (until September 2021) and February 2022.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Finnegan, Michael 1951 births Living people People from Belize City United Black Association for Development politicians United Democratic Party (Belize) politicians Government ministers of Belize Members of the Belize House of Representatives for Mesopotamia

Early life

Political career

Health

Family

References