Another interesting part of today's meeting was the debate over the small amendment to the Representation of the People's Act, which the Barrow Government wants to implement.
They want to ensure that election day is liquor-free, so that whenever Belizeans become caught up in those inevitable political squabbles, they don't escalate into violence.
The Senators gave their support for this amendment, and Church Senator Ashley Rocke told his colleagues that he wished that the ban on liquor was an every-day occurrence:
Hon. Godwin Hulse, Leader of Government Business
"The most straightforward bill ever: on election day no liquor sold up to midnight, even if you go at your house and drink, but you can't sell liquor up to midnight. First it use to be when the polls close - you get drunk and unruly during the counting and people are out there. The idea is that now no establishment can sell any liquor until midnight."
Hon. Dr. Luis Zabaneh, PUP Senator
"With regards to this amendment - fully supportive of the amendment. In fact I would have gone a little further and pushed it to six in the morning, simply because you have some polls that might not close until 2-3 in the morning and that's the ones that are contentious, but nonetheless this is an improvement and certainly support it. We support this amendment and we like to encourage and of course it might not be able to occur during this period before the election, but we'd like to see that whoever becomes the next government take a very close look at this act with the eye to improve it. This is an improvement, but there are other things that we need to look at to improve our democracy, because when you are out there and you see these practices it it shameful to see them."
Hon. Dr. Carla Barnett, UDP Senator
"I want to 100% fully support this amendment. I think it's an important part of managing election day and I feel honorable Zabaneh's pain because there are other parts of the law that can be improved. There are a lot of other laws that can also be improved, but there is a legislative process that we would have to go through. So whoever forms the next government will be able to look at all of those things."
Hon. Ashley Rock
"We too also want to support this bill. We felt that this bill should not only be for election day, but every day. It would change the situation of Belize. Last night I was in my bed and I heard gun battle outside the street. It was very scary and I am thinking to myself they must be drunk."
This amendment was also passed by the Senate, and it now goes to the GG for assent as law.
