The Senate met today to debate the National Budget that was presented and debated last week. In his presentation, the Leader of Government Business, Senator Eamon Courtenay described the government’s performance during the last financial year “prudent stewardship.” Senator Eamon Courtenay, Leader of Government Business “Government’s revenue, grants and capital revenue outperformed estimates. The projected […]
While Senator Bradley acknowledged the government’s efforts to cut back on spending, he highlighted a few areas where he thinks the outlay is still excessive, particularly in terms of salaries. Darrell Bradley, UDP Senator “We’re still, in my humble opinion, overspending when we need not be. I will just mention a few references. Page sixty […]
Newly elected Leader of the United Democratic Party, Moses “Shyne” Barrow, made a guest appearance on Open Your Eyes morning show to talk about winning Sunday’s U.D.P. Leadership Convention. When asked why he believes he has been successful at becoming an elected member of the House of Representatives, the Leader of the Opposition, and now […]
When asked about the fate of those in the U.D.P. who form the Caucus for Change, Party Leader Barrow says it is for the constituents to decide. Barrow says constituency conventions need to be held, and he intends to take a hands-off approach when U.D.P. supporters are making their decisions. Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Party […]
So, what, if anything, will Shyne Barrow do about his aunt’s repeated absences from the House of Representatives now that he is the Leader of the Party? Denise “Sista B” Barrow, the U.D.P. Area Representative for Queen’s Square has been noticeably missing from House meetings. So will Shyne be able to convince her to represent […]
The United Democratic Party has welcomed a new leader. All roads led to the big Bird’s Isle on Sunday, where over five hundred delegates cast their votes to elect a successor for Patrick Faber. It was a festive and friendly affair, complete with drumming and well-wishing from both camps. The leadership convention was the culmination […]
Of the total number of delegates on the voting list for Sunday’s convention, seven were no-shows. Perhaps their participation in the election process could have changed the outcome for either candidate. But the count was final and Shyne Barrow is the new party leader. His first order of business is to look at reforming the […]
Magnanimous in defeat, Albert Area Representative Tracy Panton has pledged to work closely with the new leader of the United Democratic Party to present a stronger and united front ahead of the next general election. Tracy Taegar-Panton, Leadership Candidate, U.D.P. “I will rally behind the leader of the United Democratic Party, we have a […]
In her appearance on Open Your Eyes this morning, Tracy Panton alluded to certain discrepancies with the voting and counting process at Sunday’s leadership convention. And according to Panton, while she was denied a recount, she does not intend to challenge the results in court. Tracy Taegar-Panton, Area Representative, Albert Division “I am still […]
What’s the future of John Saldivar and the United Democratic Party? He lost his constituency in the last general election; nonetheless, Saldivar has still proven himself as an influential figure in U.D.P. politics, rallying up his delegates to secure a win for Shyne Barrow. But, does this mean the former Belmopan area rep is making […]
The work of the Ministry of Home Affairs in addressing the root causes of gang violence has seen the establishment of the Leadership Intervention Unit. It has also seen the creation of other programs that are aimed at getting at-risk youths off the streets and enrolled in academic and life skills training sessions. During his […]
The second day of the budget debate got underway this morning, minus the fireworks that erupted in the National Assembly on Thursday. Albert Area Representative Tracy Taegar-Panton was first to address the House of Representatives with a rather subdued delivery. During her presentation, the opposition parliamentarian positively acknowledged the Briceño administration’s effort in shepherding the […]
Panton’s presentation was fairly tame, but Caribbean Shores Area Representative Kareem Musa began by recognizing that Panton’s line of reasoning essentially supported the Briceño administration’s achievements over the past fiscal year. He did throw a few barbs at the Leader of the Opposition. Kareem Musa, Area Representative, Caribbean Shores “In many ways, Madam Speaker, […]
Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow was late in arriving at today’s sitting of the House of Representatives, but when he did walk in, there was no shortage of banter across the aisle. He entered during the Orange Walk South area representative’s presentation and quickly called for a point of order on the grounds that Jose Abelardo […]
In less than forty-eight hours, the United Democratic Party is going to have a new leader. Since the beginning of February, the party has been without a substantive leader; the post was made vacant when Patrick Faber resigned following yet another domestic dispute. And so, on Sunday, five hundred and sixteen delegates will choose between […]
With quarantine regulations and safety protocols soon to be completely lifted as a result of the low positivity rate for COVID-19, will the election process be any different on Sunday? U.D.P. Chairman Michael Peyrefitte breaks down the format at Bird’s Isle, saying that it will be similar to the Recall Convention last July. Michael […]
Former U.D.P. leader Patrick Faber resigned under unfavourable circumstances – some would say that he was even forced to resign back in January – when the national executive voted against him. Since then, the embattled Collet Area Representative has been M.I.A. from House meetings and the public stage. Leadership conventions often put a wedge between […]
The 2022-2023 budget debate kicked off this morning with Moses “Shyne” Barrow’s, the Leader of the Opposition, forty minute presentation. And, while he highlighted several line items, including education and national security, there was criticism that it was less about the budget and more a campaign speech for his party’s leadership convention on Sunday. Prior […]
Barrow went on to chastise the Government for what he says is the failure to address citizen security, crime and violence. Barrow noted that more money is being invested in the office of the Prime Minister, while the budget for the Ministry of Home Affairs has been cut. The Leader of the Opposition asserted that […]
On the other side of the House, Cordel Hyde, Area Representative for Lake Independence and Deputy Prime Minister, said that Central Bank’s twenty million dollars allocation is necessary. Hyde countered that the budget for furniture in the office of the Prime Minister is to cover a bill the Briceño Administration inherited. According to Hyde, while […]
The budget debate got heated when Henry Charles Usher, Representative for Fort George, rose to speak. At the start of his presentation, Usher criticized the Leader of the Opposition for distancing himself from the Dean Barrow Administration. Usher accused the Leader of the Opposition of benefiting from the alleged misdeeds of the government under the […]
There issue of Belize becoming a republic also surfaced in the House. The People’s Constitutional Commission, a newly established body under the Constitutional and Political Reform Ministry, will be conducting consultations across the country on the continuing decolonization process. Today Minister Usher announced that a Good Governance Unit has been established and will operate as […]
All eyes will be on the U.D.P. this weekend as the better of two candidates will be chosen to marshal the party in a new direction, following Sunday’s leadership convention. The meeting of delegates will take place in Belize City on March twenty-seventh, several weeks after former party leader Patrick Faber demitted office amid another […]
There are big changes coming at the top of the Ministry of Health. While it has been known for a few weeks now that former Director of Health Services, Dr. Marvin Manzanero, has accepted the new post of Director of International Cooperation within the Ministry of Health and Wellness, what happened with the other two […]
He was moved over in January as the Minister of Health to take up the portfolios of Public Utilities, Energy, Logistics and E-Governance. When Prime Minister John Briceño assigned Minister Michel Chebat to take up those ministries, he said he needed someone like the Minister who has a legal background since some matters have yet […]
