… While area reps trade political punches in House

When Prime Minister Said Musa on Thursday announced that he was withdrawing his widely condemned motion for a government bailout of Universal Health Services, virtually all of the anticipated tension expected at today’s meeting of the House of Representatives was dissipated. But while the meeting was short on fireworks it was, according to News Five’s Stewart Krohn, long on substance.

Stewart Krohn, Reporting
In a one hundred and eighty degree turn from last week, everyone in the House today appeared to be on their best behaviour. The touchy feely tone was set by the Speaker, who in the face of widespread criticism, felt the need to offer some explanations, justifications, and almost apologies, going so far as to tell the honourable members that despite her power to do so, she would not evict anyone from the chamber.

Elizabeth Zabaneh, Speaker of the House
“I have tried to do the best that I can do. I was proud to serve my country in this capacity, not really realising the difficulties it really takes for a referee to have the games played properly, especially when players do not respect the rules. I have acted with restraint; yes, very many times I could have done differently. I have even been accused of not knowing the Standing Orders. Well I would like to say that I interpret them as I can with guidance. If I have acted—I am not going to say wrongly—but if I have made maybe decisions that didn’t go to the way of some people, I will not beg forgiveness because that is the way I thought it should have been done. Very many times, we are zealous over the wrong things. The members of this House, and I must say this Honourable House even though it is being treated like a circus sometimes, need to understand that they represent the nation, they represent people, and I will not put anybody out. Even though the standing orders say that I can, I will not do that because I do not think that it will be fair to the people that you represent.

There has been some derogatory remarks thrown at me. I have been accused of—let’s do something good for once, forget family. Well may I tell you that I did not pick my family, but I am certainly proud of the family to which I belong. And when I step into these chambers, if you do not choose to stand up that does not bother Elizabeth Zabaneh, you are being disrespectful to the office of the Speaker. And if you are followers of people who hope to be the government, then that doesn’t spell very good for me.” “For the press, a member called me a most derogatory remark. That’s okay. That’s okay. Jane Usher is not that and I just read in the Reporter where I would want to say an irresponsible reporter, referred to that I could very well be called something else tomorrow. Well that is okay too because I am also not that.” “But I will tell you that I take my office as Speaker of the House very seriously. I try to do my best to serve the nation and I will do so as long as I am allowed to remain. I would like to say here that I remember the opposition that King Arthur had when he tried to form his court. And when he was dying, the words that he used were, “The old order changes, yielding place to new and God fulfils himself in many ways, lest one good custom should corrupt the world.” Let us now put ourselves in the presence of God. Those of you that are on this side [points to right] of the House can really find yourself in the presence of God, and let us pray.”

The confessional mood was picked up later by Mesopotamia representative Michael Finnegan, who went from foul mouth to sweet mouth in just seven days.

Michael Finnegan, Area Rep., Mesopotamia
“Madam Speaker, that was done in a heat of moment. I want to sincerely apologise to you.” “Madam Speaker, you are not deserving of those remarks. Your family is not deserving of those remarks as far as I concerned. I did not even remember that that interview was done until I saw it the night on the television station. But Madam Speaker, having said that, having said that Madam Speaker, all I ask of you is to interpret the Standing Orders of this House in a fair and impartial way and noh treat the puppy like wah dog.”

As advertised, the Prime Minister withdrew the U.H.S. bailout motion, but not without firing a few darts at the Opposition.

Prime Minister Said Musa
“But we fully expect them to continue with their plan of destabilisation to try and destabilise this country. Madam Speaker, the People’s United Party is a progressive party of peace and development with social justice. There are those on the other side who are using their energies for negative and destructive means.” “We on this side of the House will continue to use, to channel the energies of our people for good, positive reasons and for the common good of this nation.”

The Prime Minister went on to speak in favour of the controversial B.T.L. Vesting Bill. In response to accusations that the legislation was meant solely to serve the agenda of B.T.L.’s majority owner, Michael Ashcroft, Musa asserted that the U.D.P. was protecting minority shareholder Jeffrey Prosser.

Prime Minister Said Musa
“In this case, the only real change in terms of the articles would be to abolish the special share and clearly what they are leading up to is that they want to protect Mr. Prosser’s interest in B.T.L., who is a minority shareholder.”

Patrick Faber, Area Rep., Collet
“We want to protect ourselves? You forgot—the Prime Minister of this country is forgetting how Prosser got to this country in the first place. He is forgetting Madam Speaker when that crook, Shridath Ramphal came here that we place the Order of Belize on, and suckered the Belizean people, suckered the Belizean people.”

Michael Finnegan
“We must show investors that they are wanted in this country, their rights will not be trampled on, and we will not favour another investor over another one. That Mr. Prosser under our law have rights, he has invested certain amount of monies into this country, and the Government and the Opposition must treat him with utmost respect. And if there is a legal matter in limbo, the Supreme Court of this country must interpret the laws and must rule who is right and who is wrong and the Government should not get involved in—the Government should not get involved in these kinds of matters.”

Dean Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“Let there therefore be absolutely no doubt about this issue. I stand with Belize; I don’t want to stand against anyone. But when standing for Belize involves standing against Michael Ashcroft, I will proudly stand and continue to stand.” [Gallery Cheering]

The Vesting Bill was eventually passed, with nineteen in favour and eight against. And in case you were wondering how the other two members voted … Mark Espat and Cordel Hyde abstained, more than likely ensuring that these two ministers who stuck to their principles and lost their jobs … will probably not be back in Cabinet anytime soon.

And just to make sure that the House was back to its good old nasty self, two of our favourite antagonists used their legislative privilege to settle some old scores, without fear of lawsuits.

Ralph Fonseca, Area Rep., Belize Rural Central
“Madam Speaker, like the Leader of the Opposition, I want to move away from personalities. But I hope that by now the Leader of the Opposition has found a corner to retreat in, in shame, because he using this honourable House in the worse form of ambulance chasing I have ever seen in the history of Belize. This is about ambulance chasing. If this matter is settled, then there is no more work as it relates to going against Prosser for his law firm. It is as simply as that. If is not settled, he has a lot of work. If the Belize Bank, as he so eloquently explained to us and he knows all the facts and he couldn’t resist the temptation to give us all the facts, will be coming against the Government of Belize, it is his law firm that will be involved in that case against the Government of Belize. So if the U.H.S. debt is settled, he has no job as it relates to U.H.S. for his law firm. That’s what this whole thing is about, nothing else.”

Dean Barrow
“During the course of his presentation, when the member for Belize Rural Central called me an ambulance chaser you did not stop him, you did not ask him to apologise. That were it not for the protection of the House—”

Ralph Fonseca
“Speaker, I did not call him an ambulance chaser. I said this is worse case of ambulance chasing I have seen. I did not”

Dean Barrow
“He said that Madam Speaker, and that apart from the protection of the House would be libellous. I hope then you will not stop me or ask me to apologise when I call him a thief. I am now prepared—”

Ralph Fonseca
“Madam Speaker.”

Dean Barrow
“I am now prepared to proceed.”

Ralph Fonseca
“Madam Speaker I will move a motion against the Leader of the Opposition.”

Dean Barrow
“You can’t move no motion against me. You are not—”

Ralph Fonseca
“I will move a motion in the next sitting against the Leader of the Opposition because he has violated House rules and I have that privilege.”

Dean Barrow
“Then you can do that and I am prepared to repeat it because that’s what you—nobody from INTERPOL ever asked about my accounts in Montevideo and Paraguay and Canada and Panama.”

Elizabeth Zabaneh
“Gentlemen.”

Ralph Fonseca
“As a matter of fact, Madam Speaker”

Elizabeth Zabaneh
“Just a minute, just minute, just a minute sir. Just a minute Honourable Member.”

Ralph Fonseca
“I have had many appeals made to me because of my position to look into the Leader of the Opposition’s financial matters. So if we want to get into those details, we can do that.”

Dean Barrow
“—because unlike you I am not a thief.”

Reporting from Belmopan, Stewart Krohn for News Five.

In addition to the B.T.L. bill, legislation was also passed on financial services and merchant shipping. A bill for the creation of a much anticipated Petroleum Fund was presented for its first reading and will no doubt be the subject of serious debate at the next sitting.