We turn now to the speech that opened today's budget debate - the Leader of the Opposition's formal response to the budget. That's the 54-minute contribution from Opposition Leader Moses "Shyne" Barrow, in which he responded to Prime Minister John Briceno's nearly 2-hour speech on his administration's proposed, 1.3-Billion-dollar budget.
During his presentation - which - in a first - he delivered free-style and without the use of prepared remarks - the Leader of the Opposition described PM Briceno's 2nd Budget as empty rhetoric, filled with Shakespearian stanzas, but devoid of any real substance.
Here are a few snippets:
Hon. Mose "Shyne" Barrow - Leader of Opposition
"This is a 1.3 budget of wastage and mis-prioritization. You have to look no further than the move to capitalize the Central Bank with the additional 20 million creating a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. The problem we have is inflation. The problem we have is a housing problem. The problem we have is a poverty problem. Those are the problems that we have. The Central Bank has had the capital it has had for the last 40 years. It has not been a problem. You could have taken that $20 million, Madam Speaker, and invested it into education. You go and look at your loans, you're still at $112 million in loan. The way you all were talking before you get elected on man, get elected and Voila! You all would have waved a wand, and all the problems of Belize would have been better, but they are getting worse. That $20 million could have gone to the DFC. We see increases in the Office of the Prime Minister. Madam Speaker. Strategic management and administration have gone from $3 million to $13 million. Madam Speaker, how is that benefiting the Belizean people."
Hon. Oscar Requena - Minister of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Local Government & Labour
"On a point of order, Madam Speaker -"
Hon. Valerie Woods - Speaker, House of Representatives
"We have a point of order."
Hon. Mose "Shyne" Barrow
"So what is the point of order, Madam Speaker?"
Hon. Valerie Woods
"Ahh... Member for Mesopotamia, that's my role in the House."
Hon. Mose "Shyne" Barrow
"We talk about crime in this country. The member from Caribbean shores, I nearly feel like they set you up because they know you will lead the party. I hear you'll take Prime Minister to a convention either this year or next year. I nearly think they set you up -"
Hon. Valerie Woods
"The budget -"
Hon. Mose "Shyne" Barrow
"With that ministry to burden you, and look bad, because you have a task before you that I do not think you appreciated. And you're not getting the support that you need. They cut your budget by about $10 million. So where is this commitment to citizen security? Madam Speaker, where is it reflected in the budget? But we see increases for the Office of the Prime Minister by 10 million, increases for the Office of the Prime Minister by 24 million, to have a - I don't know if our village council slush fund. I don't know what it is because it's not described, Madam Speaker. The Office of the Prime Minister had a line for violence prevention. That has been decreased since the borough administration on the same Office of the Prime Minister is spending more money on furniture than violence prevention, Madam Speaker. What does that say to the Belizean people? Again, empty rhetoric, Shakespearean stanzas, with absolutely no substance of change and impact for the Belizean people, Madam Speaker. Strengthen the judiciary. Strengthen the DPP. Strengthen the Ministry of Home Affairs. You go to education. Grants for education are down by $10 million. It's not me who says this. It's Plan Belize, that promise of free education, to now they are cutting the education grants? Madam Speaker, while expanding in the office of the Prime Minister, 24 $4 million, the money for the school feeding program has been cut under the Briceno Administration, Madam Speaker. So, where is the commitment to this quality of life that you promised the Belizean people? They call you all a one-term government. I don't know if you are reading it out on the streets, but you know the streets it's one-term government. If you want to win again, do what it is you promised. It's easy. Politics isn't complicated, you know. If you make promises to people, you make promises to the Belizean people, deliver on your promises."
