Opposition Leader Praised by U.D.P. Mesopotamia Rep

Michael Finnegan

We close tonight’s coverage of the 2016/2017 budget debate with something we’ve hardly before been privileged to witness. The sessions in the House are always confrontational and testy, often hostile and very personal. But on Wednesday, the usually acerbic U.D.P. Whip and representative of Mesopotamia Michael Finnegan was nothing but love. Finnegan maintained throughout the session that there was no need for hatred and no need for enmity between members from different political sides, and then he took a moment to actually praise John Briceño. Have you ever seen members on the government side and in the government gallery applauding the Leader of the Opposition? We hadn’t, but we did on Wednesday.

Michael Finnegan, Area Representative, Mesopotamia

“The member from Orange Walk Central…you were good when you were Minister of Natural Resources to the voters of the Mesopotamia division. When I used to go to you with my files and paper you used to scratch and sign them up and I got my things for my people. I used to sit right there and wait. I could never forget one time I went to do some transaction at Lands and I left gawn bout mi business and I didn’t give you the amount of money that I was to pay at Lands. I think it was about three, four…five hundred left to pay….same Johnny Briceno paid for me. When I got back there he said Mike you owe me because you didn’t give me the complete money…so I gave him his money. You understand me? I am glad you’re the leader of the opposition. You have a kind heart,. You have a good heart. You are a good human being. And I’m not just talking about the personal experiences I have with you…I am giving the experiences based on what you’ve done for the poor black people in my division, the Mestizo people in my division, the Maya people in my division, the East Indians in my division and I applaud you and thank you for what you have done. (Applause)”