And while this sounds like a sweet deal for Belize, the UDP maintained that the original deal with TNC was their doing and the PUP almost torpedoed it before eventually embracing it. The Leader of the Opposition agreed with the motion because he said it was their idea anyway. And even though himself and the party leader have been at odds, Patrick Faber agreed with Shyne Barrow. He also added that this is a motif of the PUP administration where they criticize UDP's policy decisions before coming around to those same policies:
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"The way that you just painted this fairy tale of the TNC is completely contrary to when you and the Members from that side stood up in this House and tried to impute improper motives on the previous administration. You tried to scandalize the TNC deal and say that we were giving away money - we were doing - right before elections so that we could finance our elections. Now all of a sudden, contrary to how you feel about BTL and Smart and saving money for the government, you are so concerned about saving money for the government and you think that this is such a wonderful deal, this is exemplary, the same way that you thanked the TNC and you thanked the Maya Forest, you should thank the former UDP administration. You should thank the former Minister of Lands. And you should applaud us and him for having the vision that you now have. I'm happy that you've converted and it is one thing I admire about you in your 30 plus years in your career, you're a very skilled politician, but if face of brass was a person, it would be this PUP administration. You got in the media, you got in this house and you try to scandalize a perfectly proper deal that would benefit our natural lands and rainforests and prevent the droughts and all of the things that we are facing and now today you come in here with this Shakespearian performance as to the TNC deal. We do support it because this is our deal and we are happy that you see the light of the UDP."
Hon. Patrick Faber, Area Representative, Collet
"Madam Speaker, I join with the leader of the opposition to condemn the act that the prime minister absolutely just put off. Colleagues will remember, or maybe in fact I don't think it was in this House that we first heard it. It was in the Senate, when our friend, the Foreign Minister went to great pains to indeed paint this deal as a corrupted deal happening days before the election, criticizing my colleague, the Member for Corozal North for not having the authority to sign this at all. My friend, the Leader of the Opposition is absolutely right. We watched all of that play out, and it's just, Madam Speaker, a symbol of what they've done on multiple occasions."
