House session stormy as members debate controversies
If you were listening to the radio broadcasts of the House of Representatives today, you probably heard quite a lot of heated discussion on a variety of issues. This morning the man in the hotseat was Minister of Communications and Immigration Maxwell Samuels. The Minister was first asked about the recently concluded amnesty program and those persons who had been granted permanent residency.
Maxwell Samuels
“The names and particulars of those individuals granted permanent residency under the recent amnesty program have been made public knowledge. The approved list of names are posted at every immigration office countrywide. As regards to the matter of granting citizenship, my ministry is guided by the Belize constitution regarding citizenship and also by the Belize Nationality Act which in part states that citizenship by registration shall include, that the applicant be a person ordinarily resident in Belize and has been a resident for a period of 5 years immediately proceeding the date of the application.”
Dean Barrow
“Will the Minister agree that the last section that he read is talking about ordinarily resident, legally, ordinarily resident. Will he agree otherwise it wouldn’t make sense because it would mean if you are illegally resident for 5 years you can still get nationality. So will the Minister agree that that is talking about legally resident for 5 years?”
Maxwell Samuels
“Let me repeat that the constitution states that the person be ordinarily resident in Belize.”
Dean Barrow
“Clearly he doesn’t mean to answer Madam Speaker. Will the Minister of Telecommunications say whether permission or a license, or any type of permit has been granted to anyone or entity other than BTL to provide any type of telecommunications service including internet hookups in any part of Belize including EPZ?”
Maxwell Samuels
“Madam Speaker, several entities have been granted permission to provide telecommunications service within Belize.”
Dean Barrow
“Would the Minister be prepared to say who those entities are and whether the granting of those permissions does not in fact violate government’s guarantee to the Belize Telecommunications Limited of an exclusive license for the provision of telecommunications services up until the end of the year 2002?”
Maxwell Samuels
“These entities are Belize Communications and Securities Limited, the America Jet, VST, very small terminal antennae, Data Pro in accordance of the EPZ act which was amended by the UDP on the 31st of August 1994 to facilitate such granting. Barclays Bank International, the University of the West Indies Belize Distance Education Teaching, DHL via the earth station, the Belize Chamber of Commerce, the Inter-American Development Bank and those are the names of the entities.”
Dean Barrow
“Will the Minister agree that the grant of the license to Data Pro violates the government of Belize’s contract with BTL and the warranty that the government of Belize gave to BTL as to exclusivity.”
Maxwell Samuels
“I am not aware that it does.”
Dean Barrow
“Will the Honorable Prime Minister say whether his government intends to keep its manifesto promise, repeated in the House and on radio and television and hold a referendum on the economic citizenship program?”
Prime Minister Said Musa
“We intend to keep all our manifesto promises. This one will be kept at the appropriate time.”
Michael Finnegan
“Will the Minister of Immigration say what is the status of the investigation into the allegations made against Mr. Iqbal Singh and whether Mr. Singh still enjoys Belizean citizenship?”
Maxwell Samuels
“In regards to the investigation into the allegations made against Mr. Iqbal Singh, I wish to inform this honorable house that the investigation has been carried out and completed. And the allegations made against Mr. Singh have proven to be false. The second part, Mr. Singh still enjoys Belizean citizenship.”
Michael Finnegan
“Will the Minister assure this honourable house that this investigation report will be made public to the citizens of this country?”
Maxwell Samuels
“I’m sure that the member is aware of the provisions of the freedom of information act and he can also do his own research by contacting Interpol, who provided us with information. One other thing Madam Speaker, on that same note, Mr. Singh has become so fed up with attacks made against him from a certain section of the press, that he has left the country. In the first place, Mr. Singh was deported from Canada for illegal entry and for no other reason. Mr. Singh has been called a terrorist Madam Speaker and in Belize there is phrase that goes like this, it takes one to know one.”
Michael Finnegan
“He no have investigation report, that’s why he can’t assure me of that.”
Much of the afternoon was spent in debate over the decision by the Social Security Board to drop the case against V. H. Courtenay and the government’s dissatisfaction with the Belize Telecommunications rate structure and services. Amidst all the excitement, eleven bills were passed into law; among them was the much discussed Copyright Bill. We’re not sure what the effect of the bill is going to be but as soon as we find out, we’ll let you know.
DUE TO A PUBLIC AND BANK HOLIDAY ON MONDAY, THE NEXT NEWSCAST WILL BE ON TUESDAY MAY 23RD.
