P.U.P. Walks Out, Refusing to Vote on UHS Debt Bill

For years, the guarantee by the government on a loan to the then Universal Health Services has been debated and tried in the courts. Today, it came down to a historic vote in the House by only one side of parliament.  Before Prime Minister Barrow stood up to wrap up the UHS debt debate, members of the People’s United Party walked out, leaving the members of the U.D.P. inside the National Assembly building. As they filed out, Leader John Briceño briefly told the media that today’s sitting was a charade and a circus.

John Briceño

John Briceño, Leader of the Opposition

“This has been a foregone conclusion. This is a charade. This is a circus. How can you have a government that brings a bill that they will vote against? We will not going to be a part of this. We know that all they have been doing is to put a show. And people done tired of this foolishness.”

Dean Barrow

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“Clearly, despite what they say because if you went by what they said you would have thought that they were going to vote yes. But they obviously understand that despite all their intervention the Belizeans in the main do not want this money to be paid and they also understand that despite their best efforts nobody would be fooled into forgetting that this is their deal. Nobody will be fooled into somehow exchanging this fiction for reality. This is a P.U.P. concussion from start to finish and this is unfortunately is the end result.”

Notably the P.U.P.’s Cayo South Area Representative Julius Espat, Orange Walk North Area Representative Gaspar Vega and Cayo West Area Representative Erwin Contreras were absent for today’s Sitting of the House of Representatives.