Church Senator Also Supports, But Government Senator Questions Timing
Ashley Rocke
As we said earlier, Church Senator Ashley Rocke rose to support the motion on the senate floor when it was introduced to further investigate what went so wrong at the Immigration Department. Senator Stephen Duncan of the government side questions whether Senate was the proper body to carry out an investigation.
Ashley Rocke, Senator for Churches
“I also rise to give support to the inquiry. The Church feels that in observing the style of the Prime Minister over the years, whenever there was a concern, he would put an inquiry in place. And so in looking at that and appreciating that, we feel that because there has been disquiet even among the government officials that it is only right that some kind of inquiry be brought to bear and so we are agreeing with the member that this inquiry ought to take place. And so we support the inquiry.”
Steven Duncan
Steven Duncan, U.D.P. Senator
“Mister President, a similar motion came before this honorable chambers a few sessions ago. And at that time, I asked the question whether this was the correct place for the further investigation that is required into some of the things that we are seeing. I do recognize that what we are dealing with here is a very sensitive matter and one that has significant ramifications, but because of that, I ask again whether this is the proper place for it.”
As we said earlier, the church senator had a change of heart and voted contrary to his initial position. Immediately after the vote today, Pastor Louis Wade issued a comment by social media. 
He says, “Senator Ashley Rocke, by his singular action in the Senate today, has brought the Church into severe disrepute at a time when the nation needs the Church and the Church needs the nation the most. Instead of voting for truth, Transparency and accountability, he chose to place his tent on the side of visible, rampant corruption and cover up. We are ashamed but we have been saying for some time that the current administration has penetrated the leadership structure of various Church institutions. Today that has been revealed to the nation in a most disgusting way. It is clear from his original speech that the Senator was to support the motion as he had committed. We condemn in the strongest language the change of heart by the Church senator.”
To me the church is better off with the alternative that Ashley Rocke supported. If this new alternative was not voted on, there would have been a dead lock in the senate and Lee Mack would have had the tie breaking vote and I am sure he would have voted for the govt meaning NO investigation at all
Pastor Wade is absolutely right. For a nation to become a “failed state”, the social partners have to be afraid, inept or complicit. The different denominations cannot hide behind the umbrella of the “Church”. The Catholic Church, Anglicans, Methodist, Nazarenes et al owe it to this country to spell out clearly where they stand on this issue. On that other tv station, the Evangelicals have vehemently condemned Senator Ashley Rocke. We need to know who sold the country out so we can walk away from you. God gave you no authority to trade one sin for another. You who sold us out have also thrown out your moral authority to speak to us and our children. As for the Church-State Partnership, the next generation of Belizeans will walk away from you as they are more astute, better educated, and are “not programmed” to be unquestionably obedient. God will punish you in the way that hurts you the most, MAKING YOU IRRELEVANT, for screwing this country. At this point Only GOD and the U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT can help us.