Junior Education Minister Calls Composition of Committee a “Concession” by P.M.

Elodio Aragon

While the opposition, social partners and civil society were of the opinion that the motion presented by the Church Senator did not go far enough; the major discontent was the composition of the committee. The majority of the Senators voted in favor of a committee with two government representatives, three social partners – which includes the church, the union and the business sector and only opposition representative. According to Minister of State, Elodio Aragon, having only two government representatives is really a concession by the Prime Minister due to the pressure of the teachers.

Elodio Aragon, Minister of State, Education, Culture, Youth & Sports

 “When you look at the composition of the senate, the standing orders are clear. In every country that you go, wherever there is a senate, the ruling government – the government that has been elected – has majority. There is no two ways about that. You have won an election, therefore you have a majority. That is in all standing orders- the House of Representatives and the senate. In Belize now, the Prime Minister, due to the pressures and the issues that have come about due to the B.N.T.U. leaders etc…The Prime Minister has conceded to bring it down from three to two.  The Senate Select Committee is not only made up of the two U.D.P. senators, or whether it be one or two from the P.U.P. But we have social partners there, three or four, who will be on that Senate Select Committee and that is where everything will be trashed out.”