Turning back to today's House Meeting Now, the Legislature has decided to take a strong stance against allegations of domestic violence being brought against any sitting parliamentarian. It's topical of course because of all the public pressure that Patrick Faber, the embattled UDP Leader, is facing due to his Fiancee's criminal complaint of domestic harm which was filed with the police department.
This morning, the Minister of Human Development, Families & Indigenous People's Affairs tabled a motion for a zero-tolerance of domestic violence. Here's that part of today's debate:
Hon. Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of Human Development
"The domestic violence in Belize motion 2022, now therfore be it resolved that this Honourable House, one, denounces and condemns domestic violence in all its forms as a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights; two, supports the call for additional resources to further strengthen the interventions safeguards and public awareness required to effectively address domestic violence in Belize; three, will undertake legislative review that fill in gaps and put in the necessary reforms for the response to domestic violence; four, as National Leaders, takes a zero tolerance position with regard to domestic violence; and five, prioritizes domestic violence as a national issue of significance and pledges to take individual and collective actions to end this plague in all our constituencies."
Hon. Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health
"I believe that domestic violence has become a crime of convenience and that is a dangerous thing. Many of us speak out when it is convenient for us and remain silent or make excuses when it is one of our own. We recently saw that over the few days with some of our friends on the other side. I want to ask all of us that we should all rise to support the member for Belize Rural Central, if not none of us would ever have the moral authority to speak of domestic abuse, because then we would all be part of the problem."
Hon. Tracy Taegar-Panton, UDP Albert
"I'm reminded that sound piece of advice from the civil rights activists, Martin Luther King Jr., who declared its always the right time to do the right thing. Let me be emphatically clear that in my view bringing this motion to the national assembly is absolutely the right thing to do at the right time."
Hon. Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"As we heard from the member for Albert, one in 2 or one in 3 females are involved or are engage in a relationship where they are subjected to domestic violence, so there are so many cases that are unreported and I'm sure again that's because of this tortured chamber of fear and suffering that they are enduring in these relationships and so for me, it is certainly disconcerting when I hear politicians say well, I am better than that one, because I only did it one time. That is only one time it was reported. What about the other times it went unreported."
Hon. Elvia Vega-Samos, PUP Corozal
"This administration led by John Briceno is serious by not tolerating gender-based violence. We were not made to be beaten, we were made to be loved and to care for and to not live in fear."
Interestingly, the newly-appointed Leader of Opposition wants Parliament to go even further. He himself was once the subject of a criminal complaint of domestic abuse, and here's why he is calling for a Senate committee to police the conduct of parliamentarians:
Hon. Moses "Shyne" Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Carrying on from the last administration you have undertaken to do the code of conduct for this honourable house and as well your colleague in the senate and I do believe that when we have these instances, not just gender-based violence but any instance in which any member of Parliament is alleged to be behaving in a way that falls short of the highest standards which we hold our parliamentarians to, that there should be additional steps taken by this
House. I sit on the House Rules Committee. I believe that there should be a House Select Committee chaired by Madam Speaker and we should look into these allegations similar to when a person faces a criminal prosecution and they may be victorious but there can be a civil liability. So I do believe, in keeping with the Code of Conduct, that we should go further than just this pronouncement, but put teeth into holding members of this House accountable. I myself have been accused and it is not something that I take lightly. I have apologised to my wife, to my daughter, to my mother, my mother-in-law, all the women that support me, for even being remotely involved in such allegations. And I take it very serious. It was an isolated incident and it should never and will happen again. And even in those isolated incidents I would like that there be a procedure in the House, where if not GBV (gender-based violence), but any type of allegation of misbehaviour, inappropriate conduct, that we go further - further than if the criminal courts decide that they will not pursue it, that the House convenes a Special Select Committee to look into these matters."
Minister Balderamos-Garcia called for a division on this motion, and it received unanimous support.
