Attorney says scrap the 9th Amendment

Arthur Saldivar

Earlier we told you the views of the opposition and the churches, but what’s the thinking of others who have been vocal on the ninth? Well, the modified version of the ninth still does not enjoy the support of Attorneys Arthur Saldivar and Hubert Elrington. Saldivar said this morning that the changes to the ninth are not enough; he wants the bill scrapped altogether.

Arthur Saldivar, Attorney

“This is merely a cosmetic treatment of the ills of this amendment. And this amendment goes beyond the cosmetic; it has very deep flaws, so deep that this little tweak does not do anything to save it. It must be totally excised, totally removed, abandoned. In fact, it does nothing to strengthen the constitution and this is what we’re looking for in any amendment to the constitution; something that gives the people more rights, not less; more ability to participate, no less. Section sixty-nine as my learned friend, Mr. Elrington has alluded to, is a procedure yes, but does not give the government with a three-fourths majority in the House the ability to change, as it wants, our constitution without first seeking the input of the people. If the Government of Belize is serious about empowering the Belizean people, what the government of Belize needs to do in addressing any amendment to section sixty-nine, is to enshrine in section sixty-nine the true provision to give the people say. Let us have a binding referendum in section sixty-nine. Give three-fourths of the majority of the electorate the opportunity to say whether or not they agree with any constitutional change that any government seeks to propose.”