‘Inimitable’ Michael Finnegan unites fractured party at launch of biography ‘From Long Barracks to Parliament’

Posted: Thursday, November 28, 2024. 10:21 am CST.

By Aaron Humes: Leader of the Opposition Moses ‘Shyne’ Barrow had to concede on Wednesday that even days after the launch of his documentary, he stood in the shadow of a giant.

That giant happens to be his uncle and predecessor in Mesopotamia, Michael Finnegan, whose story is being told in the biography ‘From Long Barracks to Parliament’ written by Lawrence Vernon.

Finnegan, born disabled and poverty-stricken in the Yarborough area of Belize City, built a political legacy as an outspoken, occasionally reviled yet beloved politician for the United Democratic Party (UDP) – so beloved he brought friends and foes, including the warring leaders of the party, together at the Leo Bradley Library in Belize City on Wednesday afternoon.

Party Chairman Michael Peyrefitte was moved to comment, “You are the man, Finnegan. Finnegan da di man. I haven’t seen certain leading UDP personalities in the same room in peace for a long time. You da di man!”

The dictionary definition of ‘inimitable’ as quoted by Barrow is, “so good or unusual as to be impossible to copy; unique,” which the Opposition Leader said certainly fits: “I don’t often use that word but when you think of Michael Kwame Finnegan that is what you think of. … The audacity that I have in life that offends many, it runs in the family. It is a genetic DNA where, while we may be born with disabilities and we may be born with challenges, Esme refused to accept anything less than excellence for us.”

For her part, Tracey Taegar-Panton stated, “He has become a ferocious force in the landscape of our society. He has always been a voice of reason. He has always been a voice of encouragement. He has always been a voice of support for those of us who seek to lead and who seek to serve this country.”

And that is also true for his political opposition, represented by Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie and Minister Kareem Musa. Leslie said Finnegan earned the People’s United Party’s respect by factoring him into their strategic discussion for presentations in the House of Representatives. Behind the scenes, Prime Minister John Briceño and Finnegan shared a love of food (which he said came from his days of hunger as a child), and Leslie recalled being the ‘courier’ between Belize City and Orange Walk Town with various dishes personally prepared by Finnegan for Briceño.

The man himself said you need certain qualities to get from his start to where he is today: “First thing, you have to have ambition. The environment you choose, those you admire that you believe can take you to success or to land you on a ship that is sailing and not sinking. Integrity you learn along the way. Humility.” He further thanked his mentors and contemporaries: “I came across Evan [X] Hyde. I came across Dean Lindo. I came across [Sir] Manuel Esquivel. I came across Gene Adams [American Peace Corps volunteer and baseball enthusiast]. I came across your father [Nestor ‘Net’ Vasquez Sr.]. And they drove me away from that path of destruction to a part of success and righteousness.”

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