The House of Representatives met today in Belmopan. It was the first meeting since May when the Universal debacle wracked the Musa administration. And today, the consequence of those power struggles were apparent when the members took their places, 7NEWS was there.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
For 9 years, he sat beside the Prime Minister as his Deputy Prime Minister. But today for the first time in two terms, John Briceno took his seat on the backbench, as new deputy Vildo Marin took the number two spot, and a resurgent - even if retiring Florencio Marin took the number three seat. Such is the state of play in the post Universal PUP, but still before the meeting the Prime Minister went across the floor to share words with the Opposition leader.
Indeed the day was not dramatically tense as recent meeting had been, and it was so slow, the proceedings set this representative adrift. But the clam didn't last long - as the Electricity Amendment Bill was introduced and set for three readings.
Hon. Ralph Fonseca, Minister of Public Utilities
"This will enable the Minister to enter into more detail consultations with the PUC in respect to such important matters as tariffs, charges, and fees which affect every Belizean household. The public interest therefore demands that if the Minister has to discharge his responsibility as Minister of Public Utilities, he should not be relegated to a take it or leave it position but should be provided with the necessary but should be provided with the necessary access to perform the full range of his services and functions. The Bill therefore proposes that the authority to make bylaws under the said section 7 shall rest with the Minister but that he will do so only after thorough consultation with the PUC."
Hon. Dean Barrow, UDP Leader
"What did the Minister say? This will enable the Minister to better protect the consumers? The current bylaws are highly complex, they have given rise to problems, the Minister has no power to initiate a review? Now the Minister will be able enter into more detail consultation? That is nonsense. The PUC was set up as the body in which this function of protecting the interest of the consumer was squarely reposed. How do we get from that now to a situation now where the Minister says that he is the one who is protect the interest of the consumer and therefore he is clawing back the function that the law gave to the PUC.
The Minister is now looking to appropriate, not to say usurp, the central functions of the PUC. All leading to the unmistakable conclusion that there is some ulterior motive with respect to this clawing back of the power of the PUC. Madam Speaker, what happened, we dih go back way like crab? In terms of reform, how can you having a degree of decentralization, having properly provided for the PUC, now want to claw back the jurisdiction and the power that you gave to the PUC."
Hon. Ralph Fonseca,
"He referred to Belize going backward like crab. The only time that Belize my brother will go backward like crab is if by chance and by some ill-fate, the UDP was to be the next government. That is the only time that Belize will be going backward like crab. What we are doing today is moving the agenda forward. What we are doing today is creating more stability, which is something that the UDP would never understand. At no time, even with all of his language, did he ever criticize us for violating the PUC Act. At no time. In fact we have very great respect for the PUC, certainly the Act and the members of the PUC. The difficulty has been the fact, especially in the case of the electricity sector of late, as I mentioned there are gray areas. Things have gotten complicated."
And with this Utilities Ministers, it seems things always get complicated. That's the same thing with the Petroleum Revenue Management Fund Bill which seeks to put oil money in a lockbox. Simple enough, but the counterpart legislation to enshrine it in the constitution had to be scrapped:
Hon. Florencio Marin, Minister of Natural Resources
"Madam Speaker the petroleum fund is the avenue through which all revenue paid to government by oil producers will go, including royalties and income tax. This fund is being set up in such a way that there will be proper accountability and transparency. An independent oversight board will ensure that the fund is managed in compliance with the law. Independent auditors will scrutinize the operations of the fund and all reports and major decisions with respect to the fund will be laid before this National Assembly."
Hon. Dean Barrow,
"This was supposed to be accompanied by the other piece of legislation that the Minister got up and withdrew. It is a bill to amend the constitution, so as make this, when it becomes law, untouchable. But the position is now this Madam Speaker, while that Bill has been deferred, the Minister is making it quite clear that he is going to come back to the House at the later stage, he says after due consultation, to try to do the same thing.
Its two things, you don't talk to us at all about wanting to amend the constitution but you don't even talk to us about what comes first; how we feel about the Bill that you want to enshrine the constitution. No man, you can do that. You can't do that. You cannot be dealing with a critical piece of legislation like this and not go to the public, especially when Madam Speaker, there is such tremendous suspicion with respect to this government when it comes to the whole issue of petroleum. Maybe you neva gaan because people mi wah know dah how much you wah actually collect. Why when you say would have collected 50% of the gross it never happened. Maybe that's why.
Of course Madam Speaker apart from everything else, I have grave reservations about a lame duck government trying to amend the constitution anyway. You are at the end of your term. You don't have any mandate to amend the constitution. For God's sake, no song and ceremony, get out and be gone."
The government had indicated it will introduce the constitutional component at a later time but that may be just wishful thinking because it's apparent that it would not have the required Opposition support.
