When we left you last night, the first public consultation on the proposed ninth amendment by the House Committee on Constitution and Foreign Affairs was just getting started.
But our cameras had been there from an hour earlier to see the buildup to the biggest night-time public event this city has seen in over a decade.
Here's how passionate it was from start to finish:
Jules Vasquez Reporting:
From after six people started to crowd in, while the police tried to make the crowd observe the same rules as a house meeting.
By dusk the crowd at the gate was thick, and UDP supporters with their t-shirts were streaming in. By 7:00 pm the venue was full and police were turning people back with politicians trying to get their people in.
And so, many were left to crowd the compound - mostly UDP supporters with nowhere really to go except make the most of a captive audience, even if they didn't seem that interesting.
Inside the venue was full to capacity; every single chair occupied with a cross section of Belizeans.
It seemed like every race, color and creed, forcing even political opponents to sit shoulder to shoulder.
And when the event started it was orderly and quiet, with a very sweaty committee chairman, John Saldivar, laying out the ground rules:
John Saldivar - Chairman of the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee
"As you ask questions, or seek clarifications, please be brief and to the point. We will not tolerate disrespectful references to anyone. I will ask the technicians to turn off the mic, if any intervention deteriorates into slander and disrespect. This opportunity should not be used for grandstanding."
A line was quickly formed with well-known supporters, activists comprising the majority of those cueing up.
And while things started out in a mostly civil manner, soon enough though, once the question and answer started it descended into jeering, and from jeering to finger pointing, and vocal demonstrations with both sides turning up the volume - and argumentation happening within the consultation.
And while that was happening in the background - in the foreground on the mic, it got pretty contentious too.
John Saldivar
"Thank you."
Lisa Shoman - PUP Senator
"And, Mr. Chairman..."
John Saldivar
"Thank you."
Lisa Shoman
"No, Mr. Chairman, you are going to hear me out-"
John Saldivar
"Thank you."
Lisa Shoman
"No, Mr. Chairman-"
John Saldivar
"Thank you, next speaker please-"
Lisa Shoman
"No, I will not yield."
John Saldivar
"Can we have the next speaker, please? Miss Shoman, I gave you ample opportunity to speak-"
Lisa Shoman
"Mr. Chairman-"
John Saldivar
"You have also - you took the opportunity to expound the Bar's position. You've used your time to expound the Bar's position. I gave you an opportunity to expound your own position-"
Lisa Shoman
"This is not a debate, Mr. Chairman-"
John Saldivar
"There are many people behind you-"
Lisa Shoman
"You are here to listen to us-"
John Saldivar
"Miss Shoman, I ask you to wrap up."
Lisa Shoman
"I will, Mr. Chairman-"
John Saldivar
"I'll give you 30 seconds to wrap."
Lisa Shoman
"Beautiful, as soon as they get quiet-"
John Saldivar
"I'll give you 30 seconds to wrap up
Lisa Shoman
"As soon as they get quiet."
John Saldivar
"Can we have silence, please?"
Senator Shoman won that one over Chairman Saldivar - we don't know who won these ones.
Gilroy Usher Sr. - PUP Candidate
"As a matter of fact, Prime Minister Dean Barrow has stated himself, that with the 9th Amendment, technically, he will have the power to declare himself Prime Minister for life-"
John Saldivar
"I will-"
Gilroy Usher Sr.
"The 9th Amendment will-"
John Saldivar
"Excuse me, sir, I will not allow this forum to be used to pass mistruths and lies."
Gilroy Usher Jr.
"The constituency of Port Loyola is one of the most-"
John Saldivar
"Can we confine our comments to the 9th Amendment?"
Gilroy Usher Jr.
"I'd like to further state that Port Loyola continues to be one of the-"
John Saldivar
"Can we confine ourselves to the 9th Amendment?"
Gilroy Usher Jr.
"The - (mic volume drops again)"
John Saldivar
"Can you hold on a minute? The time for you to express that concern is at election time."
Indeed, the evening was dominated by political loyalists on both sides full of passionate intensity.
some read from a script - while others spoke from the heart.
But no matter what, just about everyone got jeered. With the National Assembly staff furiously taking notes, there's no way to document the passion that was laid bare on this night...
