And staying in Belmopan, today government also announced that it had accessed concessionary CDB financing to pave the Placencia Road, 19 miles of it, for $34 million - 25 of that to be provided in the CDB loan. It's great news for one of the most promising tourist destinations, but the Opposition Leader said he hopes it's not just to increase value for PUP politicians who are landowners on the Placencia Peninsula. That implication of public good coming on the altar of private enrichment opened a can of worms. Here's how that went.
Hon. Dean Barrow,
"This effort now to borrow money to fix the road leading to Placencia. I hope it has nothing to do with the fact that recently so much land in Placencia has been given to Rodwell and to Joe and so on. I hope that the two things are not connected. But for certainly, that thing does exist, that this comes and will among other things increase property values. Not too along after all that land has been given to Rodwell and to Joe."
Hon. Jose Coye, Caribbean Shores Area Rep.
"My family and I have done nothing illegal. We have nothing unethical and we have done nothing immoral. But the matter will be dealt with it in the proper way. But I want it to be made quite clear in this House today and to the leader of the opposition that I know for a fact that during the period of the UDP reign that there was in fact choice lands in that area being given for development to former Ministers of the UDP and friends and colleagues of the UDP.
Madam Speaker I know of the Ranguana Caye which was sold for less than three thousand dollars under the UDP government to a relative of mine which in turn was sold, with a Minister of the UDP, for a large sum of money which I objected to strongly at the time and which members of that community objected to.
But I am not here in this House Madam Speaker to get in to all of those people who receive land in this country. In the Buttonwood Bay, where the Leader of the Opposition lives today, who had taken away two lease lots where he lives now, he took away two lease lots which were given to him to build his home on and where other colleagues of him, where other colleagues of him also took away lands from the people in the Buttonwood Bay area to build their homes on.
He had had his day in the Guardian Newspaper. He had had his day on the advertisement on the television channels and I will have my dad and I will have it in the right place and the right time. So I have not begun that debate yet. I have not started the debate. I have not started to clear my family name, my son's name, my wife's name, and myself and my other family in Placencia. That will be done Madam Speaker.
So Madam Speaker I want to bring this to the notice of this House and to this country that the building of the road, the Placencia road..."
Hon. Patrick Faber,
"On a point."
Hon. Jose Coye,
"...I am supporting the motion..."
Speaker Elizabeth Zabaneh,
"Just a minute, let me finish here."
Hon. Jose Coye,
"And I am not supporting the motion because of any investment that is on the peninsula. I am supporting the motion because I believe that the people of Placencia are deserving of having that piece of road."
Speaker Elizabeth Zabaneh,
"I am listening to the gentleman."
[Hon. Patrick Faber Trying To Get Madam Speaker's Attention]
Hon. Jose Coye,
"I support the motion Madam Speaker. I support the motion."
Hon. Patrick Faber,
"Madam Speaker this is clearly the kind of abuse that you carry out on behalf of the PUP. Madam Speaker, we are tired of this kind of thing. When
a member stands on a point of order...you don't listen to me so why should I listen to you. And on a point of order, you are obliged to listen to the members on either side of this House. You are abusing your privileges. You are abusing your power in this House. Are you about fair play any at all Madam Speaker? We have complained time and time again about your behavior. Please give us the respect that we deserve. I represent the people of Collet in this constituency and when you did that just now, you disrespected the people of Collet and you disrespected all of these members over here and the people they represent Madam Speaker."
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"You want to check his pressure? I sympathize with the Honorable Member, he has to check with his pressure."
Hon. Dean Barrow,
"What is to happen is quite clear Madam Speaker is quite clear. As soon as soon as somebody rises on a point of order, the person on the other side who is speaking needs to sit down. The point of order is put to you and then you make your decision. But it cannot be right, it must be a signal violation of this standing order if when one of our side rises on a point of order, we are ignored and the speaker on the other side with the concurrence and approval of the Chair can simply continue to speak.
So could I ask you Madam Speaker to indicate to us whether in fact we are reading standing order number thirty seven correctly. It seems to me that the words are plain and whether in fact we can be assured that the standard order will be followed."
Speaker Elizabeth Zabaneh,
"The standing order is clear. I didn't think there was a point of order. I was listening intently to the gentleman and I didn't...but there is still a standing order that covers my actions. So standing order ninety, it still covers my actions. You all seem to be able to give but you are not able to take."
Hon. Dean Barrow,
"What are you talking about? That does not apply at all."
Speaker Elizabeth Zabaneh,
"Standing order 91."
Hon. Dean Barrow,
"So you were wrong Madam Speaker?"
Speaker Elizabeth Zabaneh,
"Yes I was wrong. It was ninety one, I was quoting ninety one."
Hon. Dean Barrow,
"But ninety one still does not help you Madam Speaker. That does not help you. I just want to be clear, I am not quarreling with you. Are you telling us that you will ignore standing order thirty seven during the course of these proceedings?"
Speaker Elizabeth Zabaneh,
"No I will not do that."
Hon. Dean Barrow,
"Much obliged, so on the next occasion when one of us rises on a point of order, will you at least hear the point of order and make your determination?"
Speaker Elizabeth Zabaneh,
"We will cross that bridge when we come to it."
Hon. Dean Barrow,
"No man, then...there will be hell to pay if you continue with this. There will be hell to pay, we are not going to tolerate it."
And if you're wondering why Faber and Barrow's sound kept cutting off, it's because government's gremlins from the Press Office who control the soundboard are under instructions, it appears, to cut the sound whenever things get too feisty. Most un-parliamentary and un-democratic, but a practice that would make old Radio Belize proud.
