It’s a story that accidentally got left out of our 90 minute newscast on Friday. But tonight we have for the testy exchange at Friday’s House sitting between Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega and Opposition Leader John Briceno. There’s no love at-all lost between these two Orange Walk rivals. And why should there be? After all, they’re exact opposites. Vega is the UDP’s Deputy Prime Minister, Briceno did that job for the PUP; Vega is the UDP’s Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment; Briceno did the same for the PUP; Vega owns Orange Walk Channel 10, Briceno owns Channel 3.
The only thing the two don’t do is run against each other. Vega is in the north and Briceno is in central – but both are the most powerful politicians for their respective parties in the north and each is fighting for regional pre-eminence. And after Vega punished Briceno with a lengthy detailing of the land transactions he approved within a world heritage site, when Briceno stuck back on the adjournment, as expected - it wasn’t nice – in fact, the exchange was downright nasty. Poor parliamentary conduct, but great television – here’s how it went.
Hon. Johnny Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
“I don’t think the representative from Orange Walk North should talk about contraband because when you talk about contraband, he and his family
are the biggest contrabanistas in this country and let the record show. So don’t even open your mouth about that Mr. Vega.”
Hon. Hon. Gaspar Vega, Deputy Prime Minister
“If dah never sake of yoh pa...”
Hon. Johnny Briceno,
“Please! You go ahead.”
Hon. Gaspar Vega,
“…the Belizean people would not be drinking di way how they are drinking.”
Hon. Johnny Briceno,
“I’m not going to come to you yet. We’re not going deal
with you yet. We just the watch you with your face right yah di be... anyway. Mr. Speaker”
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
“On a point of order, on a point of order. On a point of order, I don’t know what might have been said across the floor, but for the Leader of Opposition to say what he just said is a complete violation of the standing order. He needs to apologize. He has said that the Deputy Prime Minister and his family are contra—he needs to apologize. Mr. Speaker, I ask you to put him in check.”
Emil Arguelles, Speaker of the House
“Hon. Leader of the Opposition, a request for an apology has been made…”
Hon. Johnny Briceno,
“I will not apologize Mr. Speaker. I will not apologize so you have to take me out from this House. You allow them fi mek dehn come and say all kind of foolishness in this House; same Deputy Prime Minister. I will not apologize so kick me out.”
Hon. Gaspar Vega,
“Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say that when I come to this House, I come with facts. He is the one who was sold the land for ten dollars and a week later, it was sold for a million dollars; his signature. Mr. Speaker, again none of my parents or brothers have been convicted of anything illegal like his dad who went to jail for illegal drugs. Mr. Speaker, I don’t want to talk about his dad alone because he is the one who stole all the land that was given away here in Belize.”
Hon. Mark Espat, Albert Area Representative
“Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, it is important that you, as Speaker, maintain control of this honourable House. The standing orders are clear; no one can impute improper motives to anyone. Please Mr. Speaker, exert your authority.”
Happily, the House meeting ended shortly after that exchange.
