Belmopan, Belize 12 February (Belizean.com) – The Prime Minister of Belize Hon. Dean Barrow wed his long time Belize girlfriend Kim Simpliss on February 7 – the first anniversary of his United Democratic Party gaining power in General Elections in 2008. The wedding took place outside of Belize, in Savannah, Georgia U.S.A. The couple have a daughter Salima.

Belize's main money earner is tourism and critics have pointed to promotions hawking this English-speaking Central American country as the ultimate wedding and honeymoon destination.

Ms. Simpliss was quoted in local media as "..wanting to get away from the fuss in Belize.." where the U.D.P. is facing myriad problems including an unprecedented crime wave, a deteriorating economy, an escalating cost of living and a strike by sugar cane farmers where the police shot and killed a farmer and wounded at least eight others.

In an a televised interview, the Prime Minister reluctantly addressed the question as to why he decided to get married in the U.S.A. instead of in Belize:

Adele Ramos, "Can you address questions raised by some Belizeans as to why the Prime Minister of their country has gone to the U.S.A. to get married?"

Hon. Dean Barrow, "There are all sorts of reasons for that and I don't think I need to get into those reasons. I mean no disrespect to anyone to say that that sort of decision was and remains a private decision.

"I don't get married as Prime Minister, I get married as Dean Barrow an individual. So I apologize if there are those who don't see it that way but there were good and sufficient reasons and I'll leave it at that."

More images of the wedding can be found here.

Special thanks to Mr. E. Meighan for submitting photographs.