Senate Debate on Caracol Loan Motion Gets Heated
Sparks flew inside the National Assembly today, forcing President Darrell Bradley to bring order in the Senate. The debate got heated as senators spoke on the ten million U.S. dollar loan motion for Phase Two of the upgrading of the Caracol Road. The multimillion-dollar loan has attracted both support and condemnation. One of the concerns that senators would usually express would be the lack of documents shared before the sitting. The project’s feasibility and detail designs report was shared with the senators by U.D.P. Senator, Doctor Carla Barnett and that is when the debate got heated.
Mark Lizarraga
Mark Lizarraga, Senator for Private Sector
“Today I make a request. I want to see the documents for this contract so that we know what the road map is. Has the road map changed? Have our priorities changed? Because we have a list right here in that document that the Honourable Carla, after the fact, provided to us. She is probably going to be sorry that she gave it to us. I want to make a request for the documents that are being used? Which is the real one? Did we borrow forty or did we borrow twenty? What are the works that we are going to be…”
Macario Coy
Macario Coy, U.D.P. Senator
“On a point of order. I don’t know where my honourable colleague comes with all of those things, trying to mislead the Belizean people. Don’t you have those things in front of you?”
Darrell Bradley, President of the Senate
“Senators. Senators. Senators. One second, Senator.”
Mark Lizarraga
“If my colleague would have taken the time and effort to read the documents that he has or should have been presented with he would see what I am talking about, Mr. President.”
Carla Barnett
Dr. Carla Barnett, U.D.P. Senator
“I did circulate early last year what was the feasibility study that was done.”
Mark Lizarraga
“Design.”
Dr. Carla Barnett
“Can I finish, Sir? Okay, feasibility study with the design… Can I please finish without interruption? Feasibility studies… Are you suggesting that I would not tell the truth? That is really unparliamentarily.”
Darrell Bradley
“Dr. Barnett.”
Darrell Bradley
Dr. Carla Barnett
“Please sir.”
Darrell Bradley
“Dr. Barnett.”
Dr. Carla Barnett
“He cannot do that.”
Darrell Bradley
“Dr. Barnett. One second though Doc. If you are addressing a matter, address it to the chair. Senator we want to get through these proceedings and if we going to get through these proceedings please when you were speaking we gave you a certain amount of leeway and now the Senator is speaking.”
Michael Peyrefitte
Mark Lizarraga
“A question…”
Darrell Bradley
“It’s okay.”
Mark Lizarraga
“On a point of order.”
Darrell Bradley
“What is your point of order?”
Mark Lizarraga
“I fully agree with you but I just want to say that when one gets up to make a statement it has to be based on facts and in truth, one cannot mislead. And if one knows that somebody is…”
Michael Peyrefitte, U.D.P. Senator
“Mr. President, that is not a point of order.”
Mark Lizarraga
“Let me finish.”
Michael Peyrefitte
“What is the point of order?”
Mark Lizarraga
“We have the right to make corrections.”
Darrell Bradley
“Senators, the year has begun.”
Mark Lizarraga
“Mr. President, do we have the right to correct an improper or not a factual statement.”
Darrell Bradley
“You have the right if you feel that the Senator made a statement that misquotes you. In respect that you were saying on a point of order, you say you want to make a point of order and you make your point of order.”
Mark Lizarraga
“The point is that this study that I was given…”
Michael Peyrefitte
“That is not a point of order, Mr President.”
Mark Lizarraga
“…was a detail design document.”
Darrell Bradley
“Doctor Barnett has the floor.”
Dr. Carla Barnett
“I do, sir?”
Darrell Bradley
“Yes.”
Dr. Carla Barnett
“Thank you very much. I was about to say that early last year I did circulate the feasibility study and detailed designs which had been completed I believe in 2018.”
