Senate will investigate SSB…without Opposition
The Social Security saga began its next chapter today as this afternoon a Senate committee was officially appointed to investigate the alleged scandal at the SSB. The committee will be comprised of Senators Moises Chan, Rene Gomez, Arthur Roches, Dickie Bradley and Senator Godwin Hulse, who will act as Chairman. Their mandate is to investigate the operations of Social Security, possible breaches in protocol and those persons responsible for any irregularities. But within minutes of the motion unanimously passing, Senator Roches rose to inform President Phillip Zuniga that after receiving word from “headquarters”, he would not be participating on the committee. Roches went on to reiterate the Opposition’s call for an independent commission of enquiry. Shortly after adjournment, Committee Chairman Godwin Hulse responded to the Opposition’s move and addressed the challenges he and his team now face.
Godwin Hulse, Chairman, Select Senate Committee
“This is a long process and for years, as I clearly stated in my delivery, we have been on a reform process which will involve the Senate as a house of the National Assembly which is not executive controlled as such to be the kind of oversight body. This is a first. Yes, it will have its tumbling. But you saw today that we tried to cover every concern of the people of Belize. We amended it to ensure they¡¦ll be resources; we amended to ensure that we could call expert people and expertise. Because we recognized it’s not all in the Senate. That the hearings will be open; meaning that Channel 5 can be there, Channel 7 can be there and all other news media can be there. We can summon all and everybody. The findings will be reported. We have the authority to summon people; to recommend if there is any punishment ECT. We got to give a go; this is our Belize. I have had no difficulty and no quarrel or argument with anybody. I am simply moving on the Senate process and I have moved on the process because the social partners whose investment it is in Social Security have requested that.”
Janelle Chanona
“There was a little bit of last minute excitement there with Senator Roches withdrawing from the committee. What is your take on the Opposition’s response to this Senate inquiry?”
Godwin Hulse
“Well I thought it was unfortunate because Senator Ambrose Tillett throughout the period of these reforms have always talked to me and we’ve not agreed always on the methodology. But we’ve agreed on that the reforms need to take place. Today was more than just about Social Security. It’s a process in the making. This very committee or a similar committee in the future could be institutionalised to keep a check on Government activities. Senator Arthur Roches is a man of tremendous experience; particulary being in audit for many many years and of course his name is on the committee and he is welcome to attend those hearings of the committee. There is no question about it that. So, it is unfortunate that the Opposition has withdrawn him officially and set the position that there must be an independent inquiry. I take the position, supported by the social partners that this is a social partner initiative. We have asked them to support us; to let us have the numbers to make it happen in the Senate or it couldn’t happen. We needed seven people to vote in our favour. We were counting on three Opposition, us three and somebody from the Government side. Fortunately, the Government supported and those recommendations came from the social partners and so we were hoping for the Opposition’s support. Because the Opposition has been relentless in its accusations and statements and those all could have been brought to the table.”
According to Senator Hulse, as soon as protocols and orders can be finalised with personnel from the National Assembly, the select committee’s public investigation will begin. As for the UDP, Opposition Leader Dean Barrow told News 5 that it was the consensus of his central executive that a Senate committee controlled by the Government members would be useless and the UDP is sticking to its position on an independent inquiry.
