Tracy Panton Chides Briceño Administration for Lump Sum Payment to B.I.S.L.
Also on the opposition’s side, Tracy Panton, Area Representative for Albert, chided the Briceño administration over the lump sum payment to B.I.S.L. Panton contended that the Government of Belize has been unable to identify funds to hold a cannabis referendum, and to lower the cost of fuel, yet it is able to settle a thirty-eight million U.S dollar debt in a single payment.
Tracy Panton, Area Representative, Albert Division
“Mr. Speaker, my constituents would say that this administration the tek wih fih cunununum. But, I say to you Mr. Speaker that I think they are bipolar. The government consistently comes to this House for more money for public spending, loan motion after loan motion so we can meet our obligations to the Belizean people, what fifteen, sixteen, seventeen loan motion in the past year and a half, I stopped counting. Millions and millions of dollars, because we need the money to meet the obligations of the Belizean people, but yet Mr. Speaker in one payment we can settle a thirty eight point five million U.S. dollars, seventy six million dollars on the backs of the Belizeans. Wasn’t it just the last House Meeting Mr. Speaker then the government coerced the churches to say we will put a hold on the referendum on the marijuana, because we can’t afford the five million. But yet, Mr. Speaker, we can find seventy six million dollars to meet this debt obligation, in one payment not in payment plans, not in installments that will be less burdensome to the Belizean people, in one payment.”